Daniel Wise

Partner

Daniel specialises in biologics and pharmaceuticals, with particular expertise in protein therapeutics, medicinal chemistry and vaccine technology. Much of his time is spent handling European Patent Office (EPO) opposition proceedings, in which he has extensive experience in attack and defence both at first instance and appeal. He is a sought-after oral advocate and was picked to lead the successful EPO oppositions linked to the widely cited US cases AbbVie v. Janssen and Amgen v. Sanofi.

Aside from his opposition practice, Daniel carries out a range of patent work, including original drafting, prosecution at the EPO and overseas, opinions, and freedom to operate analyses. He is regularly involved in pan-European litigation, and has particular experience leading the EPO side of complex international disputes.  He is passionate about helping his clients bring their innovative medicines to market, with robust protection and free of competitor patents. He has an in-depth knowledge of the complex world of supplementary protection certificates (SPCs) for authorised medicines, having coordinated several business-critical SPC portfolios across the EU and advised on the infringement and validity of various third party SPCs. He has contributed to several SPC cases at the Court of Justice of the European Union, including Queensland (C-630/10), Neurim
(C-130/11) and Abraxis (C-443/17). With the Unified Patent Court (UPC) now open for business, Daniel has been amongst the very first to bring an action at that court.

Daniel has a global client base, from the US and Europe to Japan and Australia.  He is regularly in our Munich office and Europe more generally, where he focuses on the innovative pharmaceutical sectors of Germany, Switzerland and Denmark in particular.  According to The Legal 500, Daniel is “an excellent strategist and has the ability to engage in detailed aspects of a project while still maintaining perspective of the overall task. A creative problem solver”. He is also acknowledged as a “keen strategist, with a deft handling of coordinated EPO oppositions alongside litigation” in the IAM Patent 1000, 2023.  Daniel was nominated for the UK Practitioner of the Year award (Patent & Trademark Attorney Firms) by Managing IP in 2022 and 2024.  He is also cited as having a “deep knowledge of biotechnology and wealth of experience when it comes to oppositions” by JUVE in 2024.

Before entering the profession, Daniel studied Natural Sciences at the University of Cambridge. He specialised in biochemistry, organic chemistry and molecular biology, and carried out research into the mechanisms of platelet activation in human blood. He also spent a long summer at Yale University investigating the genetics of protein trafficking in yeast.

Wise has “an unprecedented knowledge of patent law and strategy which he uses to provide thoughtful, professional and practical advice.”
IAM Patent 1000, 2024

Qualifications

  • MSci and MA Natural Sciences (University of Cambridge)
  • Chartered Patent Attorney
  • European Patent Attorney
  • Patent Attorney Litigator
  • UPC Representative

Key Cases

  • CFI 1/2023 Sanofi-Aventis v Amgen, Inc (UPC Central Division)
  • STELARA® – acting for Janssen in attack and defence of composition of matter patents for anti-IL-12 antibodies
  • PRALUENT® – acting for Regeneron and Sanofi to revoke composition of matter and medical use claims for anti-PCSK9 antibodies
  • EVRENZO® – acting for FibroGen in defence of various small molecule medical use patents against multiple opponents, including in the UK litigation FibroGen v Akebia
  • Seqirus – defence of influenza vaccine patents
  • LEO Pharma – defence of formulation and second medical use patents against multiple opponents for the product PICATO®