Helicos Biosciences Corp. (NSDQ:HLCS) added two more companies to its IP suit against Pacific Biosciences of California Inc.
The Cambridge, Mass.-based DNA sequencing company now alleges that Carlsbad, Calif.-based Life Technologies Corp. (NSDQ:LIFE) and San Diego-based Illumina Inc. (NSDQ:ILMN), in addition to Pacific Biosciences, infringe five of its patents.
Helicos said it is seeking injunctions against and monetary damages from each of the companies, claiming that all three incorporate Helicos’ patented sequencing-by-synthesis technology into their own DNA sequencing products. The related claims cover patents for sequencing-by-synthesis methods using labeled nucleotides, according to Helicos. The company is also alleging that Illumina’s critical detection components in its Genome Analyzer and HiSeq 2000 sequencing instruments infringe on an additional Helicos patent.
Helicos originally hit Pacific Biosciences with the infringement lawsuit in August, alleging that Pacific’s SMRT single-molecule DNA sequencing technology violates a quartet of the company’s patents. The suit, filed in the U.S. District Court for Delaware, accuses Menlo Park, Calif.-based company of infringing two patents it owns and another two it licenses, covering sequencing-by-synthesis methods that use labeled nucleotides to analyze single strands of DNA.
Pacific Biosciences denied the infringement allegations after Helicos announced the suit in September, saying it “will vigorously defend against the claims asserted in the complaint.”
