Natera (NASDAQ:NTRA), a pioneer in cell-free DNA (cfDNA) testing, announced on April 9, 2026, that the United States District Court for the District of Delaware has issued a favorable ruling regarding its ongoing patent litigation against ArcherDx and Invitae.
The court's decision reinforces Natera's intellectual property position in the high-growth Minimal Residual Disease (MRD) testing market.
In an order issued on April 6, 2026, the Court mandated an ongoing royalty of 30% on all post-injunction revenues generated from the sale of infringing MRD-related products.
This new rate applies to sales that fall within the specific exceptions to the permanent injunction originally issued by the Court on November 21, 2023.
The ruling represents an increase from the 20.5% effective royalty rate previously awarded by a jury for pre-injunction revenues, which remains in place.
The Court also upheld the jury’s prior verdict regarding patent validity and direct infringement for Natera’s non-MRD products.
By maintaining the validity of all three asserted MRD patents, the Court has effectively preserved Natera's claims to damages and limited the ability of competitors to market similar diagnostic technologies without compensation.
Natera’s MRD technology, specifically its Signatera platform, is used to detect molecular residual disease in cancer patients, allowing for earlier detection of recurrence compared to standard imaging.
The company has aggressively defended its technological lead in this space, supported by a portfolio of over 650 issued or pending patents.