Jury Slams Natera with $292.5M Verdict in False Advertising, Unfair Competition Trial over Colorectal Cancer Test

A jury in California has determined that in a case pitting rival makers of cancer tests against one another, one company engaged in false advertising and unfair competition in an effort to gain a competitive edge. 

Guardant Health and Natera had lodged false advertising claims against each other, with Guardant filing suit first in May 2021 and Natera following with counterclaims in June 2021. The jury, which was seated Nov. 4 and heard 10 days of testimony before returning a verdict Monday, awarded Guardant $75 million in damages for corrective advertising, about $41.5 million for disgorgement of Natera’s profits and $175.5 million in punitive damages.