Industrial &

Agricultural Biotech

Food security and sustainability of resources are concerns that are rarely far from the headlines. While solutions to these challenges must be multi-disciplinary, industrial and agricultural biotechnology has already been used to transform efficiency across a wide variety of industrial process and offers huge potential to do more.

Industrial enzymes are used in myriad industrial processes, with novel enzymes and novel applications continuing to be found. Our IP experts have a long history of involvement in protein engineering and industrial enzyme technology, including extensive offensive and defensive opposition work at the European Patent Office. The team also has particular experience in industrial microbiology, biofuel production and biosourced polymers, working alongside our chemists.

Gene editing technologies such as CRISPR are beginning to radically alter the field of functional genomics and the engineering of industrial microbes and crops.  We are proud to have been at the forefront of developments in this area, having worked with innovators of the CRISP-Cas9 technology, as well as those using it to develop new commercial products.

In the area of plant bioscience, the political interest in food production has introduced regulatory and legal complexities. Our specialised and expert plant bioscience team understand the toolkit of approaches which can be used to protect innovation in this area and the need for a flexible approach which can adapt to the shifting landscape. As well as patents and trade marks, we can offer advice and assistance in obtaining Plant Variety Rights (PVRs) and National Listings in both the UK and Europe.

Read more about protecting your innovations

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Enzyme engineering & industrial fermentation

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Future & functional foods

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Microbiome

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Special Report

Opposition Trends in the Life Sciences Sector

We published this report to help tackle the key questions our clients ask regularly. In spring 2019, we undertook 350 hours of research, analysing more than 5,000 opposition cases filed at the European Patent Office over the last ten years, studying the timelines for hundreds of oppositions both before and after the EPO’s opposition streamlining initiative.

View the 2020 addendum for this report, based on information as it appeared on the EPO Register on 10 January 2021 and from bulk data sets extracted on this date.

Read our latest blogs

The global boom in microbial crop solutions and what it means for your IP strategy

The global boom in microbial crop solutions and what it means for your IP strategy

by Ben Tolley

Experts predict that global food production will need to more than double in the next 25 years. There is no historical precedent for achieving growth of that magnitude in a single generation.

Dr James Kinross on the future of microbiome research

Dr James Kinross on the future of microbiome research

by Eliot Ward

Forward speaks to Dr James Kinross about the latest themes in research, the insights from his academic career and his ‘bonkers’ secret to a healthy gut. Forward: features are independent pieces ...

What the EU’s New Genomic Techniques (NGT) Regulation Means for Plant Innovators

What the EU’s New Genomic Techniques (NGT) Regulation Means for Plant Innovators

by Louise Atkins

The European Parliament will cast its final vote on the EU’s new regulatory framework for plants developed using New Genomic Techniques (NGTs). This vote follows the provisional agreement reached ...

We work at every stage of the IP lifecycle

Protect

Drafting, Filing & Prosecution
Portfolio Management
Searching & Watching
Renewals & EP Validations

Defend

Pre-action Advice
Oppositions & Appeals
Litigation
Alternative Dispute Resolution

Exploit

Strategic Advice
Commercial Issues
Transactions
Corporate Support

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