Helicos Biosciences Corp. (NSDQ:HLCS) slapped competitor Pacific Biosciences of California Inc. with a patent infringement lawsuit alleging that Pacific’s SMRT single-molecule DNA sequencing technology violates a quartet of Helicos patents.
The lawsuit, filed Aug. 27 in the U.S. District Court for Delaware by Cambridge, Mass.-based Helicos, accuses Pacific Biosciences 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.
The lawsuit seeks a jury trial, a judgment of willful infringement, a permanent injuction barring further infringement, triple damages, legal fees and pre- and post-judgment interest.
Pacific Biosciences denied the accusations, saying it "will vigorously defend against the claims asserted in the complaint" in a press release.
Helicos shares were flat at 50 cents apiece in early-morning trading.