JUVE Comment

This mixed Munich IP firm has a strong prosecution practice and is also very active in patent disputes. While its litigation work spans a broad technical spectrum, Maiwald maintains a particularly strong presence in pharmaceutical and biotech patent cases. The firm’s mixed teams of patent attorneys and litigators are most visible on the side of generic drug companies such as Dr. Reddy’s, Hexal, and Stada.

But the firm is by no means limited to generic and biosimilar manufacturers as clients. Its patent attorneys also handle EPO oppositions for originators such as Merck and UCB. Patent attorneys are also playing an increasingly important role for BioNTech, currently providing support to the the pharma company primarily with patent filing and opposition proceedings.

Maiwald’s mixed litigation team is also becoming increasingly established in disputes beyond the life sciences industry. The firm now also represents clients in proceedings across various other technical fields, such as Brainlab regarding software for diagnostic devices, KUS regarding AdBlue sensors in lorries, and Max Mobility regarding assistive systems for wheelchairs. The litigation team now consistently reflects the technical breadth of the firm’s patent prosecution practice.

This is particularly important because Maiwald’s core client base in the life sciences industry has so far made only limited use of the UPC. Nevertheless, with clients such as SSAB Swedish Steel (regarding pile driving tips), E-MAK (regarding asphalt milling machines) and Powermat against Anker (regarding wireless inductive charging technology), Maiwald has succeeded in building up a considerable number of UPC cases. However, the firm still falls short of the presence of competitors such as Bardehle Pagenberg or Meissner Bolte.

Strengths

Litigation with technical expertise in biotech, pharmaceuticals and chemicals. Excellent US contacts.

Recommended individuals

Marco Stief (“thoroughly reliable advisor for all IP issues and contract law in the life sciences sector”, client; “outstanding contract lawyer and litigator who knows every detail and trick”, competitor); patent attorneys: Dirk Bühler, Eva Ehlich, Sophie Ertl, Regina Neuefeind

Team

81 patent attorneys, 9 lawyers

Clients

Litigation: Celtrion and Midas against Regeneron and Bayer over biosimilar of ophthalmic drug aflibercept/Eylea; Stada against Roche over cancer drug bevacizumab/Avastin; Hexal against MSD over sitagliptin-metformin/Janumet; UCB against Osssifi over romosozumab antibody/Eventy; Brainlab against GXD-Bio over software for diagnosing liver diseases; KUS against SSI over AdBlue sensors in trucks; Max Mobility against Vermeiren over assist systems for wheelchairs; E-MAK against Witgen over asphalt milling (settled 2025). EPO oppositions: Merck against Alfred E. Tiefenbacher and Stada over formulation patent regarding c-Met inhibitor tepotinib/Tepmetko; Abbisko against Deciphera Pharmaceuticals over CSF-1R inhibitor pimicotinib; Dr. Reddy’s und Hexal against Sanofi over prostate cancer drug cabazitaxel/Jevtana; Dr. Reddy’s against Boehringer Ingelheim over diabetes drug empagliflozin/Jardiance; Hexal aiganst Novo Nordisk over type-2 diabetes drug semaglutide/Rybelsus; Emsland Stärke against Roquette Frère over starches.