NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Bragar Eagel & Squire, P.C., a nationally recognized stockholder rights law firm, reminds investors that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Berkeley Lights, Inc. (“Berkeley Lights” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: BLI) in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California on behalf of all persons and entities who purchased or otherwise acquired Berkeley Lights securities between July 17, 2020 and September 14, 2021, both dates inclusive (the “Class Period”). Investors have until February 7, 2022 to apply to the Court to be appointed as lead plaintiff in the lawsuit.
Click here to participate in the action.
The complaint alleges that throughout the Class Period, Defendants made false and misleading statements and failed to disclose that: (1) Berkeley Lights’ flagship instrument, the Beacon, suffered from numerous design and manufacturing defects including breakdowns, high error rates, data integrity issues and other problems, limiting the ability of biotechnology companies and research institutions to consistently use the machines at scale; (2) Berkeley Lights had received numerous customer complaints regarding the durability and effectiveness of Berkeley Lights’ automation systems, including complaints related to the design and manufacturing; (3) the actual market for Berkeley Lights’ products and services was a fraction of the $23 billion represented to investors because of, among other things, the relatively high cost of Berkeley Lights’ instruments and consumables and inability to provide the sustained performance necessary to justify these high costs; and (4) as a result, defendants' statements to investors during the Class Period regarding Berkeley Lights’ business, operations and financial results were materially false and misleading.
On September 15, 2021, research analyst firm Scorpion Capital issued a scathing investigative report, titled “Fleecing Customers And IPO Bagholders With A $2 Million Black Box That’s A Clunker, While Insiders and Silicon Valley Bigwigs Race To Dump Stock. Just Another VC Pump at 27X Sales. Target Price: $0,” which criticized Berkeley Lights’ technology and questioned the durability of Berkeley Lights’ most important business relationships and its business growth plan. Although Scorpion Capital stated it was short Berkeley Lights, the information contained in the Scorpion Capital report was purportedly based on extensive proprietary research and analysis, including 24 research interviews with former Berkeley Lights employees, industry scientists, and end users across 14 of Berkeley Lights’ largest customers. Among other findings, the report detailed a “trail of customers who allege they were ‘tricked,’ misled, or over-promised into buying a $2 million lemon” and concluded that the "reality is so far from BLI’s grandiose hype that we believe its product claims and practices may constitute outright fraud.” On this news, the price of Berkeley Lights common stock fell by nearly 30% over two trading days, damaging investors.
If you purchased or otherwise acquired Berkeley Lights shares and suffered a loss, are a long-term stockholder, have information, would like to learn more about these claims, or have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests with respect to these matters, please contact Brandon Walker or Alexandra Raymond by email at investigations@bespc.com, telephone at (212) 355-4648, or by filling out this contact form. There is no cost or obligation to you.
About Bragar Eagel & Squire, P.C.:
Bragar Eagel & Squire, P.C. is a nationally recognized law firm with offices in New York, California, and South Carolina. The firm represents individual and institutional investors in commercial, securities, derivative, and other complex litigation in state and federal courts across the country. For more information about the firm, please visit www.bespc.com. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.
