Patent Board Upholds Seer's Nano and Micro Particle Protein Enrichment Patent in a Challenge by Bruker Subsidiaries
Rhea-AI Summary
Seer (Nasdaq: SEER) said the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Patent Trial and Appeal Board issued a Final Written Decision on March 23, 2026 upholding 23 claims of U.S. Patent No. 11,435,360, which protect its Proteograph nanoparticle protein enrichment methods.
The ’360 patent is owned by Brigham and Women’s Hospital and exclusively licensed to Seer; the decision affirms key claim coverage of Proteograph’s nano- and microparticle protein-corona technology.
Seer noted the platform is supported by an IP portfolio of more than 240 issued and pending patents, including 80 issued patents.
Positive
- 23 patent claims upheld by PTAB on March 23, 2026
- Exclusive license to Brigham and Women’s Hospital protects Proteograph methods
- IP portfolio >240 issued and pending patents, including 80 issued
Negative
- 6 claims not upheld out of 29 total claims (29 total minus 23 upheld)
- Inter partes review was filed by Bruker subsidiaries, signaling prior challenger interest
News Market Reaction – SEER
On the day this news was published, SEER gained 1.20%, reflecting a mild positive market reaction.
Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.
Key Figures
Market Reality Check
Peers on Argus
Sector peers show mixed to negative moves, with at least one momentum-scanner peer like CGEN down about 2.94% and no broad, aligned sector rotation flagged. Pre-news action appears more stock-specific than industry-driven.
Historical Context
| Date | Event | Sentiment | Move | Catalyst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 04 | Activist letter | Positive | +2.8% | Radoff-JEC Group open letter to independent directors seeking changes. |
| Feb 26 | Tax plan adoption | Negative | -17.3% | Adoption of tax benefit preservation plan and rights dividend to protect NOLs. |
| Feb 26 | Earnings and outlook | Negative | -17.3% | Report of 2025 results with losses and cautious 2026 revenue outlook. |
| Feb 23 | Activist campaign | Positive | +4.0% | Activist letter citing performance, cash use, and compensation concerns. |
| Feb 19 | Scientific showcase | Positive | +2.5% | US HUPO 2026 presentations highlighting Proteograph-enabled proteomics. |
Governance and activist headlines have recently produced modest gains, while earnings and tax preservation plan news coincided with sharper declines around -17%, suggesting sensitivity to balance-sheet and governance structures.
Over the past weeks, Seer has faced intense governance focus, with activist investors (Radoff-JEC Group) pressing for change on Feb 19 and Feb 23, both followed by single-day gains of about 2–4%. In contrast, its Feb 26 earnings release and adoption of a tax benefit preservation plan each saw roughly -17% reactions. Product visibility events, such as US HUPO 2026 on Feb 19, drew smaller positive moves. Today’s patent decision reinforces the Proteograph platform’s IP base against this backdrop of activist pressure and mixed fundamental sentiment.
Market Pulse Summary
This announcement confirms that 23 claims of U.S. Patent No. 11,435,360, including 5 challenged claims, remain valid, reinforcing IP around Seer’s nanoparticle-based Proteograph platform. The decision directly supports its deep proteomic analysis capabilities. In context of recent activist campaigns, tax benefit preservation measures, and continued operating losses, investors may watch how this patent strength translates into commercial adoption, revenue growth, and any shifts in governance or capital allocation strategy.
Key Terms
patent trial and appeal board regulatory
inter partes review regulatory
engineered nano- and microparticles medical
protein coronas medical
proteomic analysis medical
biofluids medical
proteomics medical
nanoparticles medical
AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.
23 claims of U.S. Patent No. 11,435,360 remain valid, supporting Seer's Proteograph® Product Suite
REDWOOD CITY, Calif., March 30, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Seer, Inc. (Nasdaq: SEER), a leader in deep, unbiased proteomic insights, today announced that the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (“PTAB”) of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office issued a Final Written Decision on March 23, 2026, in an inter partes review of U.S. Patent No. 11,435,360 B2 (the “’360 Patent”). The inter partes review was filed by PreOmics GmbH and Biognosys AG, each a subsidiary of Bruker Corporation, challenging 11 of 29 claims of the ’360 Patent.
The ’360 Patent covers methods for analyzing biological samples using engineered nano- and microparticles that form protein coronas, resulting in protein enrichment that underlies Seer’s Proteograph platform for deep proteomic analysis. The ’360 Patent is owned by The Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Inc. and is exclusively licensed to Seer.
A total of 23 claims, including five challenged claims and 18 unchallenged claims, remain valid and protect Seer’s nanoparticle protein enrichment technology for analyzing biological samples, including cells, tissues and biofluids. The upheld claims are directed to detecting proteins across a wide concentration range and to particle-related aspects of Seer’s technology, both of which enable deep proteomic analysis.
“The PTAB’s decision affirms the strength of our technology and our Proteograph platform,” said Omid Farokhzad, Chair and Chief Executive Officer of Seer. “Seer pioneered the Proteograph platform, and our approach enables the deep, reproducible, and scalable proteomics data our customers depend on. We will continue to defend and invest in the IP that protects our technology and makes it possible for us to continue bringing exceptional insights to our customers.”
Seer’s Proteograph Product Suite integrates proprietary engineered nanoparticles, automation instrumentation, and analytical software to enable deep, unbiased proteomics at scale. The platform is supported by an intellectual property portfolio of more than 240 issued patents and pending patent applications worldwide, including 80 issued patents.
About Seer, Inc.
Seer, Inc. (Nasdaq: SEER) sets the standard in deep, unbiased proteomics, delivering insights with scale, speed, precision, and reproducibility previously unattainable by other proteomic methods. Seer's Proteograph Product Suite integrates proprietary engineered nanoparticles, automation instrumentation, optimized consumables, and advanced analytical software. Seer's products are for research use only and are not intended for diagnostic procedures. For more information, visit www.seer.bio.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. Such forward-looking statements are based on Seer's beliefs and assumptions and on information currently available to it on the date of this press release. Forward-looking statements may involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause Seer's actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. These statements include but are not limited to statements regarding the strength and scope of Seer's intellectual property portfolio, Seer's ability to protect its innovations and market position, and the company's plans to pursue available legal options. These and other risks are described more fully in Seer's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") and other documents that Seer subsequently files with the SEC from time to time. Except to the extent required by law, Seer undertakes no obligation to update such statements to reflect events that occur or circumstances that exist after the date on which they were made.
Media Contact:
Patrick Schmidt
pr@seer.bio
Investor Contact:
Marissa Bych or Connor O’Neill
investor@seer.bio
FAQ
What did Seer (SEER) announce about its ’360 patent on March 30, 2026?
How many claims of U.S. Patent No. 11,435,360 did PTAB uphold in the SEER decision?
Who challenged Seer’s ’360 patent and what was the outcome for SEER?
Does Seer hold the ’360 patent directly, and what is the licensing status for SEER?
What part of Proteograph technology is covered by the upheld SEER patent claims?
How large is Seer’s intellectual property portfolio as noted in the announcement?