Loading Curie Briefs...
Getting the latest healthcare news for you
Getting the latest healthcare news for you
A Delaware federal court has ordered Guardant Health to pay over $245 million to TwinStrand Biosciences and the University of Washington for willfully infringing DNA sequencing patents. The ruling covers roughly 90% of Guardant's revenue-generating products, including its flagship cancer tests. Guardant says it plans to appeal.
A U.S. District Court in Delaware has entered final judgment ordering Guardant Health to pay $245.2 million to TwinStrand Biosciences and the University of Washington, affirming a 2023 jury verdict that found Guardant willfully infringed two patents tied to TwinStrand's Duplex Sequencing technology — a method designed to detect rare genetic mutations with greater accuracy than conventional DNA sequencing.
The ruling covers 11 of Guardant's products and services, including Guardant360 CDx, Guardant Reveal, and the Shield cancer screening test — products that collectively accounted for roughly 90% of Guardant's revenue during the infringement period. Guardant is also required to pay a 6% royalty on U.S. sales of those products until the patents expire in March 2033. The company noted that updated versions of Guardant Reveal and Shield are excluded from the royalty order. Guardant's chief legal officer said the company "strongly disagrees" with the decision and will appeal.
By the Numbers:
Why it matters: This landmark ruling has significant implications for the genomics and liquid biopsy industry, signaling that IP protections around next-generation sequencing technologies will be vigorously enforced — potentially reshaping competitive dynamics and licensing strategies across the cancer diagnostics space.
