Fluidigm Corporation, a Delaware Corporation v. Ionpath, Inc., a Delaware Corporation

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

FLUIDIGM CORPORATION, et al., Plaintiffs, No. C 19-05639 WHA

v.

IONPATH, INC., ORDER ON SUMMARY

JUDGMENT

Defendant.

15 INTRODUCTION Cross motions for summary judgment dispute the validity of asserted patents and their infringement by certain accused products. The technology at issue, mass cytometry, involves analysis of biological tissue samples via mass spectrometry. The properly construed claims preclude literal infringement and patent owner has abdicated its burden under the doctrine of equivalents. Defendant’s motion is GRANTED IN PART. STATEMENT Prior orders detail the facts here (Dkt. Nos. 46, 58, 143). In brief, plaintiff Fluidigm Corporation has developed mass cytometry methods and systems for cell structure and biomarker analysis, disclosed in U.S. Patent Nos. 10,180,386 and 10,436,698. These methods involve labelling a sample, a cell or clump of…