Natera, a leader in non-invasive genetic testing and the analysis of circulating cell-free DNA, announced that the US Supreme Court declined to review the Federal Circuit's determination that US Patent 6,258,540 is invalid.

The patent had broadly claimed the use of cell-free fetal DNA for genetic testing. Natera filed briefs supporting the Federal Circuit's determination and opposing Supreme Court review.

"We are pleased with the court decisions and the ultimate outcome in this case," said Matthew Rabinowitz, Ph.D. and chief executive officer of Natera. "In prenatal testing, our massively multiplexed polymerase chain reaction (mmPCR) technology and proprietary bioinformatics are fundamentally distinct from the approach employed in other commercially available non-invasive prenatal tests (NIPTs). We believe Panorama, our NIPT, is the most accurate NIPT commercially available in the United States. As expected, the Supreme Court's order affirms our freedom to offer this technology to patients."

Natera is a genetic testing company that develops and commercializes non-invasive methods for analyzing DNA. The mission of the company is to transform the diagnosis and management of genetic disease.