Biotechnology Team

Carpmaels & Ransford has been involved in the field of biotechnology since the earliest days, at that time prosecuting cases that originated mainly from the West Coast of the US.  To this experience was soon added some of the earliest domestic experience in the field, acting directly for Celltech Limited (as it then was) and through them for the UK Medical Research Council.  In this early period we were also involved directly in UK High Court litigation concerning Genentech’s early European patents in the field.   One of our successes was to pilot through the first patent on transgenic plants to be granted by the EPO.   We act for a number of clients large and small in the field, including Eli Lilly, Chiron Corporation (now Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics), Geron Corporation, Isis Pharmaceuticals, Oxford Gene Technology, Evolutec, Genosis and Inpharmatica. Technically, we handle every subject matter within the biotechnology area, including subjects as diverse as bioinformatics, antisense technology and stem cells.

Our reputation in the field is built on experience and the depth of knowledge within the team.   Experience is essential to success and our team contains a number of individuals who have been practising in the field for many years and have seen biotechnology companies grow and develop with our advice on patent matters.  Through the large volume of work we handle in the field we have built up experience in all aspects of patents advice from drafting through patent prosecution and, especially important in this field, opposition and appeal practice. The team includes some very able and experienced advocates who are well acquainted with the procedure and drama of oral proceedings before the EPO.  We have also been involved deeply in litigation both in the UK and throughout Europe.  Depth of knowledge is also important and we have a policy of continually bringing into our team first class scientists to train as patent attorneys to ensure that our technical knowledge in this fast-developing field remains cutting edge.

Team Members

<Back