GTG expects no impact from US gene verdict

Genetic Technologies (ASX:GTG) is confident it will not be significantly affected by the recent US Supreme Court ruling that isolated genomic DNA cannot be patented.

In a market update, GTG said the court ruling should have no material impact on its commercial operations.

The verdict seems to make clear that it does not relate to and should have little impact on patent “method claims”, GTG said.

The company’s US non-coding DNA patents, which are the focus of its extensive patent enforcement efforts in the market, relate to analysis and mapping of DNA sequences. These patents should thus be unaffected by the ruling, GTG said.

GTG added that it does not expect the verdict to affect its Australian BRCA genetic testing operations because the court decision relates to its licensor’s patents - not its own - and does not apply to patents outside of the US.

The company is also confident that its BrevaGen breast cancer risk assessment test - which is based on global patents related to methods for identifying this risk - will likewise be unaffected.

One way the verdict could still have wider implications for GTG is if it prompts a change in Australian law.

Genetic Technologies shares were trading 10% lower at $0.09 as of around 12 pm on Monday.