Patents in This Agreement Targeting Rapid Polymerase Chain Reaction and High Resolution Melting On Corbett's Rotor-Gene Instruments
VENLO, The Netherlands and SALT LAKE CITY, Aug. 4, 2008 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- QIAGEN N.V. (Nasdaq:QGEN) (Frankfurt:QIA) and Idaho Technology, Inc. are pleased to announce that the companies have reached a settlement agreement for rights to a suite of intellectual property relating to Corbett's Rotor-Gene(tm) instruments. This settlement preceded QIAGEN's acquisition of Corbett Life Science Pty. Ltd. announced on July 1, 2008. The financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
The agreement covers Idaho Technology, Inc. patents surrounding rapid polymerase chain reaction methods and instrumentation, the use of SYBR(r) Green I in PCR reactions, melting curve analysis (rights obtained through Roche Diagnostics GmbH), analysis methods of DNA melting data, specifically high resolution melting (HRM), and others.
The parties further agreed to jointly file a stipulation of dismissal with prejudice with the District Court in Salt Lake City to end the pending legal proceedings.
This settlement follows Idaho Technology's January 2007 settlement with Cepheid involving similar intellectual property and extends Idaho Technology's program to protect their broad and valuable IP portfolio.
"We are pleased with this settlement which was a condition for our transaction with Corbett and which provides customers of Corbett cyclers and QIAGEN the key freedom to operate elements required to develop, market and operate performance leading real-time PCR detection technologies based on Corbett's innovative Rotor-Gene solutions", said Peer Schatz, QIAGEN's Chief Executive Officer.
"Idaho Technology is a company built on innovation; we are pleased to have reached a settlement with QIAGEN/Corbett and we look forward to working with QIAGEN. Protecting our intellectual property will continue to be exceedingly important to our business," said Randy Rasmussen, President, Idaho Technology, Inc.
About QIAGEN
QIAGEN N.V., a Netherlands holding company, is the leading provider of sample and assay technologies. Sample technologies are used to isolate and process DNA, RNA, and proteins from biological samples such as blood or tissue. Assay technologies are used to make such isolated biomolecules visible. QIAGEN has developed and markets more than 500 consumable products as well as automated solutions for such consumables. The company provides its products to molecular diagnostics laboratories, academic researchers, pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, and applied testing customers for purposes such as forensics, animal or food testing, and pharmaceutical process control. QIAGEN's assay technologies include what is considered to be the broadest panel of molecular diagnostic tests available worldwide.
