Natera and Illumina Settle Patent Dispute

SAN CARLOS, Calif. and SAN DIEGO, May 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Natera, Inc. (NASDAQ: NTRA), a pioneer and global leader in cell-free DNA testing, and Illumina Inc. (NASDAQ: ILMN), a global leader in next-generation sequencing platforms, today announced that they have settled their patent infringement action ("Action") concerning Illumina's U.S. Patent No. 9,493,831 ("'831 Patent") and Natera's U.S. Patent No. 8,682,592 (the "'592 Patent"). Terms of the settlement are included in the Form 8-K filed May 11, 2020 by Natera with the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission.

The settlement resolves and dismisses all of the claims in the Action, including claims that relate to non-invasive prenatal testing ("NIPT"), occurring before the settlement date. Natera will receive a license to Illumina's intellectual property for use in NIPT using the Illumina sequencing platform. Terms of the settlement benefit both parties, and the supply agreement has been extended until 2030. 

Additionally, Natera has granted Illumina a non-exclusive license to Natera's '592 Patent family. The license is limited to Illumina's current technology used for massively parallel sequencing in the fields of NIPT and PGS/PGD.

In a joint statement, Daniel Rabinowitz, General Counsel for Natera and Charles Dadswell, General Counsel for Illumina stated, "We believe that settling the case is in the best interests of all parties and our respective customers, employees and shareholders."

About Natera
Natera is a global leader in cell-free DNA testing. The mission of the company is to change the management of disease worldwide with a focus on reproductive health, oncology, and organ transplantation. Natera operates an ISO 13485-certified and CAP-accredited laboratory certified under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) in San Carlos, Calif. It offers proprietary genetic testing services to inform obstetricians, transplant physicians, oncologists, and cancer researchers, including biopharmaceutical companies, and genetic laboratories through its cloud-based software platform. For more information, visit natera.com. Follow Natera on LinkedIn.

About Illumina
Illumina is improving human health by unlocking the power of the genome. Our focus on innovation has established us as the global leader in DNA sequencing and array-based technologies, serving customers in the research, clinical, and applied markets. Our products are used for applications in the life sciences, oncology, reproductive health, agriculture, and other emerging segments. To learn more, visit www.illumina.com and follow @illumina.

Forward-Looking Statements
All statements other than statements of historical facts contained in this press release are forward-looking statements and are not a representation that Natera's plans, estimates, or expectations will be achieved. These forward-looking statements represent Natera's expectations as of the date of this press release, and Natera disclaims any obligation to update the forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially, including with respect to developments in matters under dispute or litigation, the scope of protection we establish and maintain for, and developments or disputes concerning, our intellectual property or other proprietary rights, our efforts to develop and commercialize new product offerings, and our ability to successfully increase demand for and grow revenues for our product offerings. Additional risks and uncertainties are discussed in greater detail in "Risk Factors" in Natera's recent filings on Forms 10-K and 10-Q and in other filings Natera makes with the SEC from time to time. These documents are available at www.natera.com/investors and www.sec.gov.

Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements contained in this press release may be considered forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Such forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, including our expectations and beliefs regarding future conduct and growth of our business and the markets in which we operate. Among the important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in any forward-looking statements are: (i) the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic to our business; (ii) challenges inherent in developing, and launching new products and services; (iii) the utility of such products and services; and (iv) the speed and scale of their adoption by customers, together with other factors detailed in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our most recent filings on Forms 10-K and 10-Q, or in information disclosed in public conference calls, the date and time of which are released beforehand. We undertake no obligation, and do not intend, to update these forward-looking statements, to review or confirm analysts' expectations, or to provide interim reports or updates on the progress of the current quarter.

Contacts
Natera Investor Relations: Mike Brophy, CFO, Natera, Inc., 650-249-9090
Natera Media: Paul Greenland, VP of Corporate Marketing, Natera, Inc., [email protected]

Illumina IR: Jacquie Ross, CFA, Vice President, Investor Relations, 858-882-2172
Illumina Media: Jen Carroll, Director, Public Relations, 858-882-6822, [email protected]

SOURCE Natera, Inc.

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