James Wilding

James handles a mix of EPO prosecution and opposition work in the life sciences sector. He has particular expertise in immunology, including antibody-based therapeutics and vaccines, diagnostics, nucleic acid amplification, (oligo) nucleotide therapy, gene editing and plant extracts.  He is experienced in handling EPO opposition proceedings and regularly appears before EPO tribunals on behalf of clients.  James also has extensive experience with SPCs.  He has coordinated prosecution of several SPC/paediatric extension portfolios across Europe, and regularly advises clients in this area, including in relation to SPC disputes.

James has a master’s degree in biochemistry and a doctorate on the biochemistry of heart disease, both from Oxford University. James also conducted post-doctoral research at Université Paris-XI on cardiac disease. He is an author of several peer-reviewed papers on this subject.

Represented patentee in the successful defence of EP-B-1301538 relating to artificial antibody scaffolds (April 2018). Opponent 1 in ten-way opposition against EP-B-2175884 – our arguments caught patentee in an inescapable added matter/extension of protection trap, resulting in revocation (December 2018). Represented opponent in a widely reported CRISPR-Cas9 case in which the Board of Appeal confirmed the revocation of EP-B-2771468 belonging to the Broad Institute, et al. (January 2020). Represented opponent in a further major CRISPR-Cas9 case in which the OD revoked EP-B-3138910 belonging to Sigma-Aldrich Co. LLC (March 2021). Led the successful defence in a 4-way opposition against EP-B-2872171, a patent covering the medical use of CAR T cell products for cancer therapy in combination with IL-6 inhibitors for toxicity management (April 2023). Represented sole opponents against meningococcal vaccine patents EP-B-3549601 and EP-B-2976101 belonging to Wyeth LLC/Pfizer and GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals S.A., respectively, and got both cases revoked at first instance (September 2023).

James is a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys (CIPA) and member of the European Patent Institute (EPI).