10x Genomics, Inc. is an American

biotechnology Biotechnology is a multidisciplinary field that involves the integration of natural sciences and Engineering Science, engineering sciences in order to achieve the application of organisms and parts thereof for products and services. Specialists ...

company that designs and manufactures gene sequencing technology used in scientific research. It was founded in 2012 by Serge Saxonov, Ben Hindson, and Kevin Ness.

History

10x Genomics was founded in 2012 by Serge Saxonov, Ben Hindson and Kevin Ness to create advanced testing equipment for use in

cellular biology Cell biology (also cellular biology or cytology) is a branch of biology that studies the Anatomy, structure, Physiology, function, and behavior of cell (biology), cells. All living organisms are made of cells. A cell is the basic unit of life th ...

. Prior to starting the company, Saxonov was the founding architect, and director of research and development at

23andMe 23andMe Holding Co. is an American personal genomics and biotechnology company based in South San Francisco, California. It is best known for providing a direct-to-consumer genetic testing service in which customers provide a saliva testing, sali ...

. Ness left 10x Genomics in December 2016 and in 2018, Justin McAnear, Tesla's former finance chief joined the company as CFO. In August 2018 the company announced its first acquisition, Epinomics, a biotechnology company focused on the development of new techniques for

epigenetics In biology, epigenetics is the study of changes in gene expression that happen without changes to the DNA sequence. The Greek prefix ''epi-'' (ἐπι- "over, outside of, around") in ''epigenetics'' implies features that are "on top of" or "in ...

research. Four months later, 10x Genomics acquired Spatial Transcriptomics, a biotechnology company working in the field of spatial genomics. In November 2018, 10x Genomics announced expansion plans including opening a manufacturing facility in Pleasanton, California in early 2019. 10x Genomics announced its initial public offering on September 12, 2019, raising $390M. The company had revenues of $3.32 million in 2015, $27.48 million in 2016, $71.18 million in 2017, $145 million in 2018, and $618.7 million in 2023.

Arbitration and lawsuit

Saxonov, Hindson, and Ness worked together at Quantalife prior to its acquisition by

Bio-Rad Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. is an American developer and manufacturer of specialized technological products for the life science research and clinical diagnostics markets. The company was founded in 1952 in Berkeley, California, by husband and ...

in 2011 and left in 2012 to launch 10x Genomics. In 2014 an arbitration dispute was brought against the three cofounders by Bio-Rad, claiming they had breached obligations they allegedly owed to Bio-Rad after it acquired Quantalife. In 2015 an arbitrator determined that the founders of 10x Genomics had not breached their obligation to Bio-Rad when they left the company and denied its claims. In November 2018, a Delaware jury found that 10x Genomics infringed on several

University of Chicago The University of Chicago (UChicago, Chicago, or UChi) is a Private university, private research university in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Its main campus is in the Hyde Park, Chicago, Hyde Park neighborhood on Chicago's South Side, Chic ...

patents which were exclusively licensed to Bio-Rad. 10x Genomics were ordered to pay $24 million in damages to Bio-Rad and a 15% royalty on sales. 10x Genomics appealed the verdict but the decision was upheld in August 2020. In July 2021, Bio-Rad and 10x Genomics settled all outstanding lawsuits brought in American federal as well as international courts for an undisclosed amount and the rights for the companies to license each other's patents for single-cell analysis.

References

{{reflist Biotechnology companies of the United States Genomics companies 2012 establishments in California Companies based in Pleasanton, California Biotechnology companies established in 2012 American companies established in 2012 2019 initial public offerings Companies listed on the Nasdaq