David Holland

David has a diverse practice, working with therapeutic proteins, modified nucleic acids and traditional small molecules. He has particular experience handling platform technology cases, from drafting provisionals to EPO opposition, and from worldwide prosecution to litigation. Highlights from his platform work include successfully revoking many of Moderna’s core patents for mRNA vaccines, protecting Ambrx’s antibody conjugate platform worldwide and successful opposition defences across Ionis’ modified oligonucleotide portfolio. David’s advice is built on two decades supporting both early-stage pharma companies and more established players such as Incyte, Biogen, Alfasigma, UCB, J&J and Sanofi.

David’s practice also includes managing interrelated prosecution, oppositions and appeals at the EPO, often providing strategic advice where his client is opponent in one case and proprietor in the next. Much of that work involves defending patents with multiple opponents seeking to launch generic small molecule products. He works in collaboration with the firm’s dispute resolution team, including supporting several UPC actions in the area of human therapeutics such as Merz’s successful preliminary injunction application regarding its product Fampyra® (UPC_CoA_917/2025).

David has a particular interest in the development of Europe’s new patent court and he is often asked to share his UPC expertise, both through industry-wide events such as those organised by AIPLA and also as a guest lecturer at the European Patent Litigator course held by the Politecnico di Milano. He also helps coordinate national litigation, including advocacy at the Swiss Federal Patent Court, trips to the German national courts and work on UK litigation projects.

Another of David’s specialisms is European patent term extensions (SPCs), based on his experience handling SPCs on more than 30 different patent families including products such as Jakavi®, Zynyz® and Kygevvi®. Clients often rely on David to manage oppositions and patent prosecution that interlink with the SPC strategy. As part of this work, he assesses SPC strength, patent coverage, and their interplay with the regulatory protections available to his clients. David is frequently involved in appeals against SPC refusals across Europe, including hearings at the UKIPO and supporting SPC litigation in Switzerland, Italy, Spain and the Netherlands.

David was awarded a first-class degree in Natural Sciences from the University of Cambridge. He took full advantage of the breadth of this course by studying subjects as diverse as biochemistry, pharmacology, physiology and organic chemistry. This experience gives David a particular edge when advising on products at the intersection of these fields, such as therapeutic polymers, antisense oligonucleotides and chemically modified proteins.