Protein

Therapeutics

We have extensive experience drafting and prosecuting patent applications in the field of engineered peptide therapeutics, gaining insight into the different challenges that working in this area raises as compared to patenting antibody or polypeptide therapeutics. Our experience includes work on portfolios covering approved and candidate peptide therapeutics, such as Lixisenatide, Danegaptide, Glepaglutide and Dasiglucagon.

Many of these challenges revolve around the evolution of an initial wild-type peptide to become a candidate peptide therapeutic, modifying or truncating the wild-type peptide and often incorporating other types of derivatisation and cyclisation to optimise the properties of the therapeutic molecule. This work requires an understanding of underlying biochemistry and chemistry of the molecules.

In addition, the team at Mewburn Ellis working in this area have extensive experience of freedom-to-operate analysis, EPO opposition and appeals and other strategies to manage the competitive landscape, while maximising the protection of the products of the applicants we represent.

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Opposition Trends in the Life Sciences Sector

Special Report

In spring 2019, Mewburn Ellis 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 life sciences 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.

Download the Report

Read our Blogs

UPC Weekly - File wrapper bites at the UPC

UPC Weekly - File wrapper bites at the UPC

by Matthew Naylor

2025 Week 44 Claim interpretation at the UPC has been one of the most consistent threads through the decisions coming out of the first instance UPC courts, due in part to an early setting of the ...

UPC Weekly - Secret prior use defence wins the day

UPC Weekly - Secret prior use defence wins the day

by Matthew Naylor

2025 Week 43 When you overlay an international court like the UPC with an array of existing national courts, there are wrinkles that need sorting out. In Heraeus v. Vibrantz, the UPC Local Division ...

Advanced Therapeutics – European Patent Oppositions

Advanced Therapeutics – European Patent Oppositions

by Anna Mudge

We investigated EPO opposition trends in the cell and gene therapy space across five years (2020-2024), using opposition data from the EPO and a combination of IPC codes and keywords.

Biosynthetic Dyes: The Future of Sustainable Fashion

Biosynthetic Dyes: The Future of Sustainable Fashion

by Isobel Fisher

The fashion industry is a major polluter. While many of us know about the textile waste from fast fashion and the fossil fuels used to transport our clothes, one area that often goes unnoticed is the ...

UPC Weekly - As sure as eggs is eggs …

UPC Weekly - As sure as eggs is eggs …

by Matthew Naylor

2025 Week 42 This week we report on two decisions from the UPC that are totally different, but both important in their own way. The first is a down-in-the-detail first instance case on infringement ...

UPC Weekly - Who counts as an infringer? Court of Appeal clarifies director liability

UPC Weekly - Who counts as an infringer? Court of Appeal clarifies director liability

by Lucy Coe

2025 Week 41 The UPC Court of Appeal’s second ruling on the merits is out in the Philips v. Belkin case. This decision broadens who can be considered an “infringer” beyond those directly performing ...

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Forward Magazines Overlapping 8

Mewburn Ellis

FORWARD MAGAZINE

Mewburn Ellis Forward is a biannual publication that celebrates the best of innovation and exploration. Through its pages we hope to inform and entertain, but also to encourage discussion about the most compelling developments taking place in the scientific and entrepreneurial world. Along the way, we’ll engage with the IP challenges that international organisations face every day.