Life Sciences & Chemistry group
Our Life Sciences & Chemistry group is one of the largest in Europe with a depth of expertise and experience in the chemical, biochemical and pharmaceutical industries, as well as in academic research. We focus on understanding our clients’ needs and delivering high quality practical advice to help them to protect their intellectual property in a commercial context.
Our clients include entrepreneurs, biotechnology and genetics research companies, pharmaceutical companies, horticulturalists developing new plant varieties, medical device companies, veterinary supply companies, a number of chemical companies working in both organic and inorganic areas and NHS Trusts. We also act for the research departments and technology transfer companies of over twenty-five British universities and research institutes and we frequently work with university spin-out companies.
Our experience
We are European patent attorneys, and as well as serving clients from all over the United Kingdom, we advise a number of Japanese and Swedish pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, German, Dutch and Portuguese pharmaceutical companies, and a Dutch Research Institute. We also act for a wide range of universities and companies from all over the world, including many from the US and Japan.
Our expertise
Headed by John Dean, the Life Sciences & Chemistry group includes more than ten European patent attorneys and trainee patent attorneys. The group also includes a former Patent Examiner at the UK Intellectual Property Office.
Members of the group bring appropriate academic and professional experience to the area. First degrees include biochemistry, biological sciences, chemistry, genetics, microbiology, pharmacy and veterinary science. Three members of the group have doctorates covering subjects as diverse as radiation damage to DNA, gene therapy and DNA vaccines, and metallocene-based sensors for barbiturate compounds.
The way we work
Our most important objective is to deliver high quality practical advice to ensure that our clients obtain the most appropriate protection for their intellectual property rights within the commercial context of their business. To achieve this we take time to understand our clients' business and where possible visit them on a regular basis. In addition to visiting clients in the UK and Europe, we regularly visit the US, Japan and China and have members that speak Japanese and Mandarin. We have videoconferencing facilities to help stay in touch between visits.
We also undertake quality control exercises so our clients can expect that every element of our work conforms with our best practice. We are keen to communicate well with our clients and organise regular review meetings so that we can identify any areas where we can tailor our service to better suit the particular needs of that client. Our aim is to provide the best service possible to each client.
Our approach is dynamic and proactive and we aim to ensure that the advice we give is clear and jargon-free. We like to view our clients' intellectual property portfolios as a whole wherever possible and are interested in developing a strategy to maximise the value they obtain from their portfolio, rather than simply following a standard procedure. For example, where appropriate we encourage clients to develop an intellectual property policy as part of their business plan and help them with this process. We try to react promptly to instructions from our clients and to legal and commercial developments to ensure that our clients' projects get moving quickly and continue to move in the right direction despite a changing environment.
The group has a wide range of experience and effectively employs this for the benefit of our clients through our practice of distributing work to the attorney with the most technical or legal expertise to deal with the particular situation. We actively share relevant legal, practical and commercial information within the group and with other practice groups so that, whichever attorney is working on a particular case, the collective experience of the firm is employed to achieve the best result, even where the technology spans different practice groups.
We advise clients on all areas of patent law including drafting and prosecution as well as contentious issues. We have an excellent track record in EPO oppositions and appeals, being instructed by major pharmaceutical companies and other clients, and significant experience of analysing patent portfolios for due diligence projects, both for potential investors and in preparation for stock market listings.
Wider Perspectives
Members of the group belong to and participate in many of the key organisations in the life sciences and chemistry arena including the Royal Society of Chemistry, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain, the Society of the Chemical Industry, Medi-Wales, Medilink, BioApproaches, and the Intellectual Property Advisory Committee of the UK BioIndustry Association. We also attend many industry specific events like Bio and UNICO. This means that the group has an intimate and up-to-date knowledge of these fast-moving industries and an in-depth understanding of the complex intellectual property issues relating to them.
Internationally, the group also includes members serving in organisations including the FICPI, an association of IP attorneys which is very active internationally, the Biotechnology and Chemical Practices Committee of the American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA), the Professional Qualification Committee of the European Patent Institute (EPI) and the International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property (AIPPI). These activities help to ensure that the group is abreast of legal and practice developments around the world.
We find that the exchange of information and ideas generated through our wide and varied involvement in these organisations ensures that we are able to react quickly to legal, practical and commercial changes. It also gives us an opportunity to serve the industry and promote innovation for the benefit of the public more generally.
What our clients say
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“We use Withers & Rogers because they have developed an excellent understanding of our technology, which facilitates fast and straight forward drafting of new applications and close to effortless handling of patent prosecution at the patent offices. We appreciate their high degree of responsiveness and the fact that they always deliver on time whilst fulfilling the highest quality standards in their work.”
Henrik Anderson, Intellectual Property Manager, Attana AB.
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“Covidien's Imaging Solutions business chooses to utilise Withers & Rogers' intellectual property services as they demonstrate a high level of competence with regard to our products and related technologies. Furthermore, they have a proven record of zealously advocating Covidien's legal position at the European Patent Office. On a personal note, we find W&R's professionals to be quite pleasant and enjoyable to work with. W&R is a valued part of our global IP team.”
Kenneth D. Goetz, Vice President, Intellectual Property - Imaging Solutions, Covidien
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“We have worked with Withers & Rogers as our main Patent Agent for more than 10 years, and have commissioned the firm for a wide range of activities, including IP strategy review, patent filing, international continuations, national phases and various advisory and other activities in defending our patents. Throughout, Withers & Rogers has been most professional, and we have very rarely had any issues with the quality of your work.
"In a recent tender exercise, we asked Withers and Rogers to tender together with six other agents. We were glad to see that you submitted a tender that was excellent in quality and price, and the Tender Committee were unanimous in their opinion that you should continue to be a preferred patent agent to the University.”
Ederyn Williams, Director, Warwick Ventures
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“As an independent consultant I strongly recommend Withers & Rogers to my clients because they have an excellent understanding of technology areas I work in and always provide prompt, reliable and commercially aware advice. They are a very easy company to work with and help my clients through the intricacies of intellectual property protection.”
Bill Potter, Stapleford Scientific Services Ltd
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"Withers & Rogers have the broad technical expertise needed to deal with the diverse inventions emerging from Aston; we find them friendly and efficient, and together we have developed an excellent working relationship."
Peter Shearer, Director of the Business Partnership Unit, Aston University
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"We have used Wither & Rogers for over 10 years. The patenting of Intellectual Property for a company such as ours is absolutely critical in securing value for our shareholders. It is an expensive process but quality does not come cheaply."
James Barder, Chief Executive Officer, Futura Medical
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“With Withers & Rogers’ help, we have managed to develop efficient systems for capturing and analysing potential inventions. We have found the surgeries and review meetings very valuable in helping us to manage our costs, and in keeping us fully aware of the status of our patent portfolio.”
Dr Mike Shaw, Commercial Director, King's College London Business Ltd
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"Jag uppskattar att arbeta med Withers & Rogers för att de förstår det kommersiella syftet med immateriella rättigheter. Det innebär bland annat att de är tillmötesgående och lyssnar av våra tankar och behov innan de agerar. Att de har hög kompetens vad gäller både de tekniska fält vi arbetar inom och lagstiftningen och att man alltid kan få ett omedelbart svar på frågor när det behövs, ser jag som självklarheter. Det jag framförallt uppskattar med de ombud jag arbetar med, är att de har en slående språklig argumentationsförmåga som kommer väl till pass i besvärligare ärenden."
Anne-Li Sigvardsson, IP Manager and Product Manager Transplantation, Vitrolife AB
Group members
All members of our Life Sciences & Chemistry Group deal with a range of life sciences and/or chemical subject matter. If you need advice, please contact one of the following patent attorneys:
General & Molecular Biology, including: |
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Antibodies |
Adrian Tombling |
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Biomolecular Analysis |
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Gene Therapy |
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Microbial and Plant Biotechnology |
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Molecular Biology |
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Receptors |
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Recombinant Proteins |
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Protein Crystals |
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Vectors |
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Chemistry, including: |
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Artificial Fibres |
David Bannerman |
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Chemical Engineering |
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Composite Materials |
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Fast Moving Consumer Goods |
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Formulation Chemistry |
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Herbicides |
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Inorganic Chemistry |
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Medicinal Chemistry |
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Organic chemistry |
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Paint and Printing Ink Technology |
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Paper Technology |
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Physical Chemistry |
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Polymer Science |
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Resin Chemistry |
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Human & Veterinary Medicine, including: |
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Drug Delivery |
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Drug Discovery |
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Radiopharmaceuticals |
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Vaccines |
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Medical Devices, including: |
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Catheters |
John Dean |
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Design Protection |
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Implants |
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Test Kits |
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Supplementary Protection Certificates |
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Plant Variety Rights |
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EPO Oppositions & Appeals, including: |
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Anonymous Oppositions |
David Bannerman |
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Defending Patents |
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Opposing Patents |
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Petitions to the Enlarged Board of Appeal |
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Third Party Observations |
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Due Diligence, including: |
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Patent Attorney Reports for Stock Market Listings |
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Reports for Potential Investors |
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Freedom To Operate including: |
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Infringement and Validity Opinions |
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Expert Witness |
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Competitor intelligence including: |
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Watching services |
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"Covidien's Imaging Solutions business chooses to utilise Withers & Rogers' intellectual property services as they demonstrate a high level of competence with regard to our products and related technologies. Furthermore, they have a proven record of zealously advocating Covidien's legal position at the European Patent Office."
Kenneth D. Goetz, Vice President, Intellectual Property - Imaging Solutions, Covidien
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