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Jumpcode Genomics NGS Library Enrichment Patent Revoked in Europe After Challenge by Takara Bio USA

NEW YORK – Takara Bio USA said on Monday that it has successfully challenged the validity of a patent covering library enrichment for next-gen sequencing awarded to Jumpcode Genomics in Europe.

European patent No. 3,102,722, titled "Genome fractioning," had been granted to Jumpcode in August 2020. In a statement, Takara Bio said the European Patent Office "revoked Jumpcode's patent in its entirety" following a hearing before its opposition division on Nov. 28.

"We are very pleased with the outcome of the recent hearing," Carol Lou, president and CEO of Takara Bio USA, said in a statement. "This latest decision reinforces the strength of Takara Bio USA's European patent and portfolio, which supports some of our most innovative RNA-seq technologies."

Jumpcode did not immediately respond to a request for comment. It is unclear which products it has based on the technology described in the patent.

The decision rings up another victory for Takara Bio in its patent spat with Jumpcode. In February 2022, Takara said it prevailed in a European patent opposition initiated by Jumpcode, which challenged Takara's European Patent No. 3,105,325, titled "Methods of depleting a target molecule from an initial collection of nucleic acids, and compositions and kits for practicing the same." This patent, granted in 2019, is part of Takara's portfolio covering methods used in its Smarter Stranded Total RNA-Seq and Smart-Seq Stranded kits containing ZapR technology.