WASHINGTON AP – The Supreme Court unanimously tossed out medical patent claims for Prometheus Laboratories on Tuesday for a test that could help doctors set drug doses for autoimmune diseases like Crohn’s disease, a decision that could affect the burgeoning field of personalized medicine.

The justices unanimously agreed that the patents held by the company – owned by Switzerland-based Nestle – were invalid because they were based on the laws of nature, which are unpatentable.