Patent board invalidates Exact Sciences patent for stool samples

In a ruling dated yesterday, the Patent Trial and Appeal Board found that Geneoscopy proved Exact Sciences (EXAS)’ patent number 11,634,781, which is used for the company’s Cologuard colorectal cancer screening kits, are unpatentable. The tribunal wrote, “We conclude that Petitioner proves by a preponderance of the evidence that the challenged claims of the ‘781 patent are unpatentable.” The patent covers methods for collecting and preserving stool samples using separate buffers for blood and DNA tests, according to Bloomberg. Shares of Exact Sciences are down 3% to $53.68 following the ruling.