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Life Sciences

In life sciences, including biotechnology, V.O. represents clients in a broad range of traditional pharmaceutical as well as biological technologies, including immunology, virology, molecular biology, animal and plant genetics, gene therapy, protein chemistry, pharmacology, enzymology, bioinformatics and others. Specific areas of expertise include among others diagnostics, recombinant cytokines, antibody technology, personalized medicine, biomarkers, recombinant antigens and vaccines, and antisense and small RNA technology.

From start-ups to multinationals

Our client base in the life sciences and biotechnology sector ranges from biotech start-ups to multinationals. Working for and with biotech start-ups requires a special approach, as balancing research and commercial development may be complex. The long-term IP strategy, for instance, in which the patent portfolio should be attractive to possible investors and licensees, sometimes seems at odds with the short-term company policy. We know exactly how to provide solutions that are workable and effective.

Renowned experts

Our patent attorneys include renowned experts in biotech and life sciences. Some have worked in the life sciences industry, for instance as researcher. All of them are highly dedicated to their profession, and see it as their mission to help companies to build up a sound and balanced IP portfolio that enables these companies to keep up the good work.

Full-service partner

We provide all IP services: drafting and prosecuting patent applications all over the world. We assist you in defending or attacking patents; in infringement suits and in opposition or invalidity proceedings. Other fields of activity are Freedom To Operate analysis, IP audits and Supplementary Protection Certificates for pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals. Particularly for biotech start-ups we commit ourselves to supporting you throughout the different developmental stages of your company. We help you to integrate IP into your operational management and materialize the knowledge assets of your company.

Contact our experts

Saskia van Doorn

Saskia van Doorn

  • European and Dutch Patent Attorney, European Patent Litigator
  • Senior Associate
More experts

News

R 0016/23: the Enlarged Board confirms the mandatory nature of oral proceedings upon request under Article 116(1) EPC 

In R 0016/23 (Enlarged Board of Appeal, 21 November 2025), the Enlarged Board set aside a Legal Board of Appeal decision which had dismissed an appeal without holding requested oral proceedings. The decision is a clear statement that efficiency and “timely legal certainty” cannot, in themselves, justify restricting the scope of Article 116(1) EPC when […]Continue reading

Medical-device infringement and “standard use”: LD Munich on lege artis use and conditional revocation counterclaims (UPC_CFI_628/2024) 

In its decision on the merits in UPC_CFI_628/2024 (with the related revocation counterclaim UPC_CFI_125/2025), the Munich Local Division of the Unified Patent Court (UPC) addressed two practically relevant issues:Continue reading

Choosing a suitable starting point for inventive step and remittal for an incomplete search: T 0610/24 (Board 3.5.01)

In T 0610/24, the Board set aside a refusal for lack of inventive step and remitted the case for further prosecution, including a further search. The decision is notable for its treatment of the “closest prior art” in the problem–solution approach and for clarifying when an incomplete prior art search can justify remittal under Article […]Continue reading