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Commitments and Contingencies | 3 Months Ended
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Mar. 31, 2024
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract] |
Commitments and Contingencies | Commitments and Contingencies Legal Proceedings In addition to commitments and obligations incurred in the ordinary course of business, from time to time the Company may be subject to a variety of claims and legal proceedings, including claims from customers and vendors, pending and potential legal actions for damages, governmental investigations and other matters. For example, the Company has received, and may in the future continue to receive letters, claims or complaints from others alleging false advertising, patent infringement, violation of employment practices and trademark infringement. The Company has also instituted, and may in the future institute, additional legal proceedings to enforce its rights and seek remedies, such as monetary damages, injunctive relief and declaratory relief. The Company cannot predict the results of any such disputes, and despite the potential outcomes, the existence thereof may have an adverse material impact on the Company because of diversion of management time and attention as well as the financial costs related to resolving such disputes. The Company and its affiliates are parties to the legal claims and proceedings described below. The Company is vigorously defending itself against those claims and in those proceedings. Significant developments in those matters are described below. If the Company is unsuccessful in defending, or if it determines to settle, any of these matters, it may be required to pay substantial sums, be subject to injunction and/or be forced to change how it operates its business, which could have a material adverse impact on its financial position or results of operations. Unless otherwise stated, the Company is unable to reasonably estimate the loss or a range of possible loss for the matters described below. Often, it is not reasonably possible for the Company to determine that a loss is probable for a claim, or to reasonably estimate the amount of loss or a range of loss, because of the limited information available and the potential effects of future events and decisions by third parties, such as courts and regulators, that will determine the ultimate resolution of the claim. Many of the matters described are at preliminary stages, raise novel theories of liability or seek an indeterminate amount of damages. It is not uncommon for claims to be resolved over a number of years. The Company reviews loss contingencies at least quarterly to determine whether the loss probability has changed and whether it can make a reasonable estimate of the possible loss or range of loss. When the Company determines that a loss from a claim is probable and reasonably estimable, it records a liability in the amount of its estimate for the ultimate loss. The Company also provides disclosure when it is reasonably possible that a loss may be incurred or when it is reasonably possible that the amount of a loss will exceed its recorded liability. Intellectual Property Disputes In August 2021, TwinStrand Biosciences, Inc., or TwinStrand Biosciences, and the University of Washington filed a patent infringement suit in the United States District Court for the District of Delaware alleging that the Company infringes U.S. Patent Nos. 10,287,631; 10,689,699; 10,752,951; and 10,760,127. The Company answered the complaint in October 2021, denying TwinStrand Biosciences’ allegations and asserted counterclaims of invalidity, unenforceability due to inequitable conduct and infringement of four of the Company’s patents. Discovery in the case has concluded. In October 2023, the District Court dismissed with prejudice TwinStrand’s infringement claims related to U.S. Patent Nos. 10,689,699 and 10,752,951. On November 14, 2023, a jury verdict was entered in favor of TwinStrand Biosciences and the University of Washington and against the Company. The jury found that the Company willfully infringed U.S. Patent Nos. 10,287,631 and 10,760,127, and awarded TwinStrand Biosciences and the University of Washington $83.4 million in damages, representing a 6% royalty on past sales. As a result, the Company recorded a liability of $83.4 million in the fourth quarter of 2023, which was reflected as a charge to other operating expense on its consolidated statements of operations, and as a component of other long-term liabilities on its consolidated balance sheets. Post-trial motions were filed on March 4, 2024, where the Company moved to overturn the jury’s verdict, seek a new trial, and/or amend the judgment, and TwinStrand Biosciences moved for enhanced damages based on the jury's finding of willful infringement, pre- and post-judgment interest, and a go-forward running royalty. A hearing date has not yet been set on the post-trial motions. The Company strongly disagrees with the jury verdict and will vigorously contest the verdict and judgment through post-trial motions in the District Court, and if needed, through appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. On August 1, 2023, the Company publicly announced that it entered into a Collaboration and Settlement Agreement, or the Collaboration Agreement, with Illumina, Inc., or Illumina. Under the terms of the Collaboration Agreement, the parties have agreed to extend their long-standing commercial relationship by agreeing to collaborate on the sharing of specimen samples in order to advance cancer research, and by entering into a new long-term purchase and supply commitment. Furthermore, the parties agreed to dismiss with prejudice the March 2022 lawsuit filed by Illumina in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware, Illumina, Inc. v. Guardant Health, Inc. et al, Case No. 1:22-cv-00334-GBW-CJB, including any allegations related to the subject intellectual property. False Advertising Dispute In May 2021, the Company also filed a lawsuit against Natera, Inc., or Natera, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California, wherein the Company alleged that Natera is misleading healthcare providers about the performance of the Company’s new oncology test, Guardant Reveal, by suggesting the test is inaccurate and/or insensitive, and inferior to Natera’s Signatera assay. The Company is seeking an injunction to prevent Natera from continuing to make false and misleading statements and to require Natera to take corrective actions. Natera has asserted counterclaims of false and misleading statements, false advertising, unlawful trade practices and unfair competition. The Company moved to dismiss Natera’s counterclaims, and in January 2022, the court granted in part and denied in part the Company's motion to dismiss. The Company and Natera have both moved for summary judgment on various claims, with the court granting in part non-dispositive motions brought by each party. Trial is scheduled to commence in August 2024. Civil Investigative Demand In January 2022, the Company received a Civil Investigative Demand, or CID, from the United States Attorney for the Northern District of California in connection with an investigation under the False Claims Act. The CID requests information and documents regarding billing of government-funded programs for the Company’s panel of genetic tests known as Guardant360. The Company is fully cooperating with the investigation. At this time, the Company is unable to predict the outcome of this investigation.

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