MGI Sues Illumina for Patent Infringement in the United States

SAN JOSE, Calif., May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Complete Genomics Inc., a US subsidiary of MGI, has filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Illumina in US District Court for the District of Delaware.

The lawsuit alleges that a number of genetic sequencers and related reagents from Illumina, including the NovaSeq 6000, NextSeq series, and MiniSeq, are infringing Complete Genomics' U.S. Patent No. 9,222,132 ("132 Patent"). The patent covers proprietary two-color sequencing technology. Two-color sequencing technology is one of the core technologies for high-throughput, high-quality sequencing and a key technology in the DNBSEQ^TM sequencing technology invented by Complete Genomics.

As a sequencing equipment business subsidiary of BGI Group, MGI is the leading manufacturer of clinical high-throughput sequencers.

"With our long-term investments, we have already established a patent portfolio in the field of gene sequencing, which is one of the core assets of MGI," said Wei Wei, Vice President and General Counsel of BGI Group. "Protecting intellectual property rights is an important foundation for us to continue to develop in the field of gene sequencing and to provide the industry with the core tools for life science and technology. We are confident in the value and strength of the patent portfolio of MGI. When necessary, we will protect our intellectual property rights worldwide. The current lawsuit demonstrates the serious attitude and firm confidence of MGI in protecting its intellectual property rights."

About MGI

MGI is committed to building core tools and technology for life science with the vision to enable effective and affordable healthcare solutions for all. Based on its proprietary technology, MGI produces sequencing devices, equipment, consumables and reagents to support life science research, medicine and healthcare. MGI's multi-omics platforms include genetic sequencing, mass spectrometry and medical imaging. Founded in 2016, MGI has more than 580 patents worldwide and more than 900 employees, nearly half of whom are R&D personnel. MGI, which includes US-based Complete Genomics, Shenzhen MGI Tech Co., Ltd. and other institutions, operates in 16 countries and regions and has established multiple research and production bases around the world. Providing real-time, comprehensive, life-long solutions, its mission is to develop and promote advanced life science tools for future healthcare.

About BGI Group

BGI was founded in 1999 with the vision of using genomics to benefit mankind and has since become one of the largest genomics organizations in the world. With a focus on research and applications in the healthcare, pharmaceutical, conservation and environmental fields, BGI has a proven track record of innovative, high profile research, which has generated more than 2,000 publications. BGI's goal is to make state-of-the-art genomics highly accessible to the global research community and clinical markets by integrating the industry's broadest array of leading technologies, including BGI's own sequencing platform, economies of scale, and expert bioinformatics resources. BGI also offers a wide portfolio of transformative genetic testing products across major diseases, enabling medical providers and patients worldwide to realize the promise of genomics-based diagnostics and personalized healthcare.

SOURCE MGI