Premaitha vows to battle legal claim

MANCHESTER-based molecular diagnostics company Premaitha has vowed to fight a “robust defence and counterclaim” for alleged infringements of patents by US company Illumina and its subsidiary of Verinata Health.

The patents in question are European Patent (UK) and relate to Premaitha’s IONA non-invasive prenatal (NIPT) test for pregnant women.

The IONA test estimates the risk of a fetus having Down’s syndrome or other serious genetic diseases and has a higher detection rate and lower false positive rate than existing screening tests.

Chief executive of Premairth, Dr Stephen Little said: “We have looked at the legal position very carefully and, in our view, the claims are without substance.

“Within the UK and globally, it is vitally important that both expectant mothers and health care authorities have the freedom to make appropriate and informed choices. We believe our best-in-class IONA test enables this choice to be made.”

The company has filed its defence in the High Court of Justice, Chancery Division, Patents Court.

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