Anna Mudge

Anna is a Partner and Patent Attorney at Mewburn Ellis, and is widely recognised as a leading attorney in life sciences IP. She heads the firm’s Advanced Therapeutics team and advises on some of the most innovative technologies shaping the sector, including cell and gene therapies, nucleic acid technologies, oligonucleotides, viral and non-viral delivery methods, and vaccine technology, as well as complex and modified antibodies. Her work spans the full patent lifecycle – from strategic drafting and global prosecution to complex EPO oppositions and large-scale Freedom-to-Operate assessments.

Anna is trusted by four of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies to handle high-stakes opposition work, reflecting her reputation for precision and strategic insight. She is known for combining creativity with diligence, helping clients turn complex science into robust, high-value patent portfolios. More than a legal advisor, Anna seeks the best outcomes for her clients – both legally and commercially – using IP as a powerful tool to support business growth and competitive advantage.

Clients

Anna's client base ranges from biotech start-ups and spin-outs to prestigious universities and multinational pharmaceutical companies. Her international experience includes managing multi-layered portfolios across the globe, primarily for clients based in Europe and the USA, plus a secondment at a high-profile US IP law firm, which deepened her understanding of transatlantic IP strategy and client service. She regularly travels to the US East Coast to meet clients and attend industry events. She also serves as a Co-Chair for the Boston IP Law Association’s International & Foreign Practice Committee, where she collaborates with non-US practitioners to deliver programmes of interest to BIPLA members.

Key Projects and Contributions

• Complement Therapeutics Limited: Anna has been the primary attorney since 2018, guiding the company from initial concept at the University of Manchester, through spin-out and towards clinical development (with a recent FDA IND clearance for a gene therapy in the eye). Anna has been instrumental in supporting multiple funding rounds, crafting an overarching IP strategy based on market considerations and competitor activities, drafting and prosecuting global patent families, contributing to internal strategy discussions, and effectively acting as the company’s ‘internal’ IP advisor.
  
  
• A globally recognised teaching and research University in the USA: Anna provides strategic guidance and prosecution for a large, high-value European patent portfolio, working closely alongside US counsel. Much of the portfolio is licensed to biotech companies and underpins ongoing therapeutic research, particularly for rare and genetic diseases.
  
  
• An approved CAR T cell therapy: Anna works closely with a biopharma company and their US counsel to manage European prosecution and opposition work for a commercially important portfolio that protects a CAR T cell therapy for treating cancer, which has been approved in multiple countries.

Opposition Highlights

Anna has a strong track record in offensive EPO oppositions, including:

• Revocation of EP3463315 - multikinase inhibitors for treating ocular disease (achieved via written procedure alone)
• Revocation of EP3215166 - modified CAR-T cells (achieved via written procedure alone)
• Revocation of EP3636778 - antisense nucleic acid molecules for treating facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy
• Revocation of EP2806900 - antisense oligonucleotides for treating Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophy
• Revocation of EP1915394 - methods of expressing antibodies in mammalian cells (achieved via written procedure alone)
• Revocation of EP2654789 - anti-CD39 antibodies

Qualifications

Anna graduated with a first-class BSc (Hons) in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry from Durham University, receiving a prize for best academic performance. She also holds a PhD in Molecular Cell Biology from Durham University, where her research focused on the molecular mechanisms of plant root growth. She joined Mewburn Ellis in 2015, qualified as a Chartered Patent Attorney and European Patent Attorney in 2019, and joined the Partnership in 2024.

Recommendations and Feedback

Anna is recognised as a ‘Rising Star’ in Managing Intellectual Property’s IP Stars 2022-2025. 

“Anna is an exceptional patent attorney. My colleagues and I trust her to handle large portfolios of cases across a variety of complex technologies. Anna’s advice is always practical, and she understands both the underlying science and the business context in depth. She provides an excellent level of service and is very responsive. Anna is a pleasure to work with.” - Shareholder, IP law firm, USA

“We see Anna as an extended part of our team” - Shareholder, IP law firm, USA

“We thank Anna for her excellent ongoing support” - CEO, UK biotechnology company