Genus PLC US LITIGATION UPDATE (6105H)
June 09 2017 - 2:00AM
UK Regulatory
TIDMGNS
RNS Number : 6105H
Genus PLC
09 June 2017
For immediate release 9 June 2017
Genus plc
('Genus' or the 'Group')
US LITIGATION UPDATE
Genus plc (LSE: GNS), a global pioneer in animal genetics,
announces that on 7 June 2017 Inguran, LLC, XY LLC and Cytonome/ST,
LLT (collectively ST) filed patent infringement proceedings against
ABS Global, Inc., Genus plc and Premium Genetics (UK) Limited
(collectively ABS) in the United States District Court for the
Western District of Wisconsin. The new litigation alleges that ABS
infringes seven ST patents and asserts trade secret and breach of
contract claims. ABS intends to vigorously defend ST's latest legal
action.
The litigation is part of the long running dispute between ST
and ABS in connection with the development and launch of Genus
Sexed Semen technology (GSS), a proprietary product designed to
compete with ST's monopoly in the processing of sexed bovine semen.
In previous litigation initiated by ABS, the Court for the Western
District of Wisconsin awarded ABS a permanent injunction against ST
based on the finding that ST had wilfully maintained an illegal
monopoly in the market for sexed bovine semen processing in the US
since July 2012. The Court also found ABS had infringed two ST
patents and awarded damages and post judgment royalties. ABS has
filed a notice of appeal on one of these patents and an
Inter-Partes Review oral hearing at the US Patent Office is
scheduled shortly on the other. The US Patent Office had earlier
found two other ST patents challenged by ABS to be
unpatentable.
GSS is a novel and proprietary technology for sexing bovine
semen that focuses on fertility outcomes and does not subject the
sperm cells to the high pressures and sheer forces of the
technology currently in use in the industry. The new litigation
will not delay the commercial launch of GSS which will launch as
scheduled in 2017 in the US and other key markets.
For further information, please contact:
Genus Tel: +44(0)1256 345970
Karim Bitar, Chief Executive
Stephen Wilson, Group Finance Director
Dan Hartley, Group General Counsel and Company Secretary (for
legal enquiries)
Buchanan Tel: +44(0)207 466 5000
Charles Ryland / Vicky Hayns
About Genus
Genus creates advances to animal breeding and genetic
improvement by applying biotechnology and sells added value
products for livestock farming and food producers. Its technology
is applicable across all livestock species and is currently
commercialised by Genus in the dairy, beef and pork food production
sectors.
Genus's worldwide sales are made in over seventy-five countries
under the trademarks 'ABS' (dairy and beef cattle) and 'PIC' (pigs)
and comprise semen, embryos and breeding animals with superior
genetics to those animals currently in production. Genus's
customers' animals produce offspring with greater production
efficiency, and quality, and use these to supply the global dairy
and meat supply chain.
The Group's competitive edge has been created from the ownership
and control of proprietary lines of breeding animals, the
biotechnology used to improve them and its global supply chain,
technical service and sales and distribution network.
With headquarters in Basingstoke, United Kingdom, Genus
companies operate in over twenty-five countries on six continents,
with research laboratories located in Madison, Wisconsin, USA.
This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
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