Bio-Rad and 10x Genomics settle multiple patent rows

Two rival biotechnology companies have settled a long-running patent dispute.

Bio-Rad Laboratories Inc and 10x Genomics Inc, both based in California, have settled their disputes over patents related to single-cell analysis and microfluidics. The global settlement resolves multiple lawsuits between the two companies and dismisses all infringement claims.

As part of the deal, the parties signed a cross-licence agreement, granting each other a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-bearing licence to develop products and services related to single-cell analysis. They will continue to pay each other royalties from licensed products and services until 2030.

Single-cell analysis is an experimental approach to understand variations among cell in a cell population, whether that is in an organ, a tissue or in a cell culture in a Petri dish in a laboratory. It can be used to look at the genome (DNA), transcriptome (RNA) or proteome (proteins) to understand exactly which genes are active in a cell at a given time.

Most approaches to single-cell analysis use microfluidic systems (sometimes described as 'labs-on-a-chip') which use tiny channels on a silicone, glass or polymer substrate and allow for high-throughput and accurate sequencing. These technologies have a wide range of applications across biological research and clinical health settings.

The two companies had been in dispute over the patents since 2014, and had ongoing court cases in Massachusetts, Delaware, California, Germany, and before the International Trade Commission.