Illumina Tells Investors Icahn Board Nominees Aren’t Qualified

Illumina Inc. advised investors not to support the director nominations from billionaire investor Carl Icahn who declared a proxy battle against the maker of DNA-sequencing machines.

Icahn, who has a 1.4% stake in the company according to a filing, said in a letter Monday that he had nominated three candidates for Illumina’s nine-member board. Icahn called the company’s management and board irresponsible in spinning off and later re-purchasing Grail Inc.

Illumina Chief Executive Officer Francis deSouza and Chairman John Thompson spoke to Icahn multiple times after receiving his nominations, the company said in a statement. The nominees shouldn’t ...