Beijing, China 4/18/18—Agilent Technologies has filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Changzhou Pannatek and a former Agilent employee. The suit alleges infringement of trade secrets and copyright of computer software. In addition, it requests the court to prevent the defendants’ use of Agilent’s proprietary technologies. According to the suit, former employees of Agilent obtained trade secrets from Agilent to create a GC. The suit alleges these trade secrets were transferred from Shanghai Echrom Technologies, against which Agilent filed suit last year (see IBO 8/31/17), to Changzhou Pannatek.

Agilent is the world’s largest GC maker and has a long-established presence in the market. In 2003, the company introduced a GC developed and manufactured specifically for the Chinese market.