Feb 19 (Reuters) - Diagnostics company Bio-Rad ( BIO/B )

has been sued by the California Institute of Technology for

allegedly misusing the school's patented technology for

analyzing biological samples.

Caltech's lawsuit filed in federal court in California on

Tuesday said Bio-Rad's ( BIO/B ) Droplet platform incorporates the

university's technology for improving medical diagnostics by

tagging analysis targets in biological samples with different

colors.

The school requested an unspecified amount of monetary

damages and a court order for Bio-Rad ( BIO/B ) to stop infringing its

patent. The case is one of several patent infringement lawsuits

brought by and against diagnostics companies in disputes over

gene-analysis technology.

Spokespeople for Bio-Rad ( BIO/B ) did not immediately respond to a

request for comment on the complaint. A spokesperson for Caltech

declined to comment, citing ongoing litigation.

The Pasadena, California university said that its

researchers created technology that revolutionized

"multiplexing," a method for analyzing biological samples using

colored "fluorophores."

The lawsuit said that Hercules, California-based Bio-Rad ( BIO/B )

incorporated Caltech's improved multiplexing technology into its

QX600 and QX ONE systems - used for cancer research, gene

therapy, food and wastewater testing and other applications -

without permission.

The university also said Bio-Rad ( BIO/B ) is involved in ongoing

related patent litigation with ChromaCode, a molecular

diagnostics startup founded by Caltech researchers.

The case is California Institute of Technology v. Bio-Rad

Laboratories Inc ( BIO/B ), U.S. District Court for the Northern District

of California, No. 5:25-cv-01701.

For Caltech: Bradley Graveline, Martin Bader and Jesse Salen

of Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton

For Bio-Rad ( BIO/B ): attorney information not yet available

(Reporting by Blake Brittain in Washington)