JUVE Comment

The patent attorneys at this long-established Hamburg boutique enjoy an excellent reputation and track record in EPO oppositions concerning pharmaceutical, biotech and chemical patents. The team is also the first choice for numerous well-known clients in nullity proceedings and prosecution.

Highlights in EPO oppositions this year included representing BMS and Pfizer against Stada regarding a formulation patent for apixaban, as well as numerous opposition proceedings for Amgen. The team led by Albrecht von Menges is highly regarded in this field.

Following retirements and departures to competitors, the team is currently quite small by market standards, with only nine patent attorneys. However, it has recently laid a solid foundation for team growth by overhauling its IT infrastructure.

European set-up

The small team size could prove disadvantageous for the firm regarding the UPC. Although the team around von Menges boasts outstanding experience in representing core clients in extensive EPO oppositions, it will face stiff competition from other patent firms for UPC cases. For instance, the mixed IP firm Bardehle Pagenberg also works for Amgen and has already gained considerable experience in UPC cases for other clients. To date, the team has not yet appeared in UPC proceedings.

Strengths

Litigation with a technical focus on pharmaceuticals, biotech and chemicals.

Recommended individuals

Albrecht von Menges, Heinz-Peter Muth (“excellent”, competitor; both patent attorneys)

Team

9 patent attorneys

Clients

Litigation: Merz against Teva, Ratiopharm, Stada over aminopyridine compositions. EPO oppositions: Amgen against straw man over mammal cell culture; Amgen against Bayer HealthCare and Regeneron over antagonists of vascular endothelial growth factor; Amgen against straw man over mannose content of therapeutic proteins and antibodies; BMS/Pfizer against Stafa over formulation of apixaban; Chinese University of Hong Kong against straw man over non-invasive tumour detection; Chr. Hansen against Nestlé over baby food; Institute Pasteur against Regeneron and straw men over gene therapy (all public knowledge).