Our Pharmaceutical team has a wealth of experience. We are able to combine detailed legal knowledge with commercial common sense, all backed up with rigorous academic and hands-on research expertise.
We have worked collaboratively on projects at all stages of the drug discovery and development process. That includes the initial identification and synthesis of candidate compounds, through to the selection of salt and polymorphic forms. It also covers the development of drug delivery routes and formulations, plus the identification of optimal dosage regimens. We are adept at liaising with inventors, experts and in-house counsel, and have particular experience in being flexible to meet the organisational needs of companies from start-ups and SMEs though to multi-national corporations.
We routinely draft, file and prosecute pharmaceutical patent applications before the European Patent Office (EPO), as well as manage and support worldwide prosecution strategies. Finding the best pathway through the prior art in this often highly crowded and complex field of research is not easy. But it is second nature to us and we pride ourselves on ensuring robust protection for our clients.
However, protection needs to be long-lasting as well. In addition to the use of supplementary protection certificates, our team prides itself on the development of finely tuned life-cycle management strategies. This maximises the potential for return on investment.
Contentious work also forms a key part of our practice. We are regularly entrusted with handling oppositions and appeals relating to high-value pharma patents where the commercial stakes are significant. Our opposition and appeal specialists are European patent attorneys who are regularly involved in these proceedings before the EPO and have a long track record of achieving excellent outcomes for our clients. We are skilled at acting both offensively and defensively, as required. In both scenarios, the team’s technical expertise and procedural knowledge, combined with their oral advocacy skills, ensures the best possible outcome.
A final pillar of our work relates to due diligence and freedom to operate (FTO) processes. We routinely provide tailored infringement and validity advice suited to the needs and budgets of our clients. This can cover everything from preliminary landscaping advice prior to synthetic investigations, through to detailed evaluations and discussions prior to sale, licensing or the commencement of manufacture. Progress is at the heart of what we do: our team seeks not only to identify issues but to go beyond to identify solutions or steps to minimise risk and ensure your commercial success.
