ONT quotes now,Background of the Dispute
Background of the Dispute
On October 4, 2021, the British sequencing company Oxford Nanopore Technologies plc (ONT) withdrew its lawsuit against the Chinese company BGI Group and its subsidiaries, including BGI Genomics and BGI Smart Cloud. This decision came after a series of legal battles over the patent infringement of the latest gene sequencing technology.
The Lawsuit and Its Withdrawal
ONT had initially filed a lawsuit against BGI Group, claiming that its newly released nanopore sequencing instruments, CycloneSEQ-WT02 and WY01, infringed on its patents. However, on October 4, 2021, ONT decided to withdraw the lawsuit without prejudice, which means they retain the right to file a lawsuit again in the future.
Reasons Behind the Withdrawal
According to the United States District Court for the Northern District of California, ONT’s withdrawal was made in a “without prejudice” form. This indicates that ONT reserves the right to file a lawsuit again in the future. As of now, ONT has not commented on whether they will file another lawsuit against BGI Group.
BGI Group’s Response
BGI Group expressed its surprise at ONT’s accusations and strongly opposed them. The company emphasized its commitment to intellectual property protection and respect for others’ intellectual property rights. BGI Group stated that it would take all necessary legal actions to defend its legitimate rights and strongly opposed any unfounded accusations.
The Nanopore Sequencing Technology
The nanopore sequencing technology is considered a cutting-edge technology in the field of gene sequencing. It can better analyze complex genomic regions and has long been dominated by foreign companies. ONT is the global leader in this niche market.
BGI Group’s New Products
BGI Group’s newly released nanopore sequencing instruments, CycloneSEQ-WT02 and WY01, were developed and produced by BGI Sequencing, a subsidiary of BGI Group. BGI Smart Cloud was responsible for the global sales of these products.
Comparison of ONT and BGI Group’s Products
Compared to ONT’s products, BGI Group’s new nanopore sequencing instruments have several advantages. Firstly, BGI Group has overcome the key issues of nanopore sequencing technology. For example, the error rate is a major drawback of nanopore sequencing instruments compared to the first and second-generation sequencing technologies.
| Parameter | ONT | BGI Group |
|---|---|---|
| Error Rate | High | Low |
| Accuracy | Low | High |
| Price | High | Competitive |
According to BGI Sequencing, the single-read accuracy of WT02 and WY01 has reached 97% through protein optimization and algorithm optimization. The single-read accuracy of WY01, which is scheduled to be launched in the first half of 2025, is expected to be further improved to 99%.
Market Impact
BGI Group’s new nanopore sequencing instruments have posed a significant challenge to ONT’s market dominance in the nanopore sequencing field. With their advanced technology and competitive pricing, BGI Group is expected to gain a larger share of the market in the future.
