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.

Opposition against EP-B-3099333 relating to cardiac gene therapy.  We got the claims restricted at first instance and the patent revoked on appeal (February 2026; T 632/24).

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.  The patent was maintained in amended form at first instance, only the opponents appealed, and we got their appeals dismissed (November 2025; T 1555/23).

Represented Opponent 1 in a 2-way opposition against EP-B-3645553 relating to antibody retargeting of AAV capsids.  We got the claims massively restricted at first instance (June 2025).  The proprietor has appealed but we did not.

Represented Opponent 4 in a 10-way opposition against EP-B-3616720, a patent in the name of Shionogi & Co. Ltd et al. relating to anti-CCR8 antibody treatment of cancer.  The opponents elected us to lead the inventive step attack at the first instance hearing, and most of the claim requests fell under this ground, leading to revocation of the patent (March 2025).  The proprietors did not appeal.

Represented sole opponents against meningococcal vaccine patents EP-B-3549601 and EP-B-2976101 belonging to Wyeth LLC/Pfizer and GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals S.A.  Both cases were revoked at first instance and the proprietors did not appeal.

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 (T 844/18).

Opponent 1 in a 10-way opposition against EP-B-2175884.  Our arguments caught the proprietor in an inescapable added matter/extension of protection trap, resulting in revocation.

Represented the proprietor in its successful defence of EP-B-1301538 relating to artificial antibody scaffolds.

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