Illumina offers patent licences to rivals, patent truce with BGI -sources

The U.S. life sciences company submitted the concessions to the European Commission last week. They consist of royalty-free global licences to rivals of next-generation sequencing technology and equipment and a pledge not to pursue any patent litigation against BGI in Europe, the sources said.

Illumina has offered rivals royalty-free global licenses for some of its patents and a three-year patent truce with Chinese rival BGI in Europe in a bid to address EU antitrust concerns over its acquisition of Grail, people familiar with the matter said. The U.S. life sciences company submitted the concessions to the European Commission last week.

They consist of royalty-free global licenses to rivals of next-generation sequencing technology and equipment and a pledge not to pursue any patent litigation against BGI in Europe, the sources said. The EU antitrust watchdog had sought feedback from rivals and customers, giving them until Tuesday to do so, they said.