GTG and Applera remain in mediation limbo

Melbourne gene-testing company Genetic Technologies (ASX:GTG, US OTC:GNTLY) has still not resolved its patent-infringement dispute with US-based Applera Corporation, despite a second round of mediation.

Applera was one of three companies that GTG sued in the District Court of California last year; two companies, Novelo, and Covance, agreed to pay licence fees for GTG's patented non-coding DNA technology not long after.

Applera held out, and when the parties proceeded to trial in San Francisco on September 1, Applera suggested mediation as an alternative. When the first mediation meeting in Foster City, on September 20 failed to resolve the dispute, Judge Spero of the US District Court scheduled another for February 16.

In its announcement to the ASX today, GTG said Judge Spero had indicated he would confer with the attorneys for both companies in the coming weeks to discuss the next steps.