It hardly seems an exaggeration to say that gene editing technologies such as zinc finger nucleases, TALENs and CRISPR have had a revolutionary impact throughout life sciences. Whether used as a laboratory tool to probe gene function, to modify plant cells to develop novel agricultural systems, or as a therapeutic method for treating genetic diseases, the ability for scientists to target and edit specific genes in a precise manner has opened up a vast number of new applications. We are thrilled to help innovative companies and research institutions protect their inventions using this exciting technology.

Mewburn Ellis have been at the forefront of protecting inventions relating to gene editing technologies. One of the most significant innovations in the last decade stemmed from Jennifer Doudna and Emmanuelle Charpentier’s revolutionary paper on the use of CRISPR as programmable “molecular scissors”, which work led to the award of the 2020 Nobel Prize. We are extremely proud to be involved in protecting Doudna and Charpentier’s ground-breaking invention. Mewburn Ellis helped secure the first granted patents in the world for Doudna and Charpentier’s CRISPR technology, and we continue to file and represent patent applications in this growing family of cases before the European Patent Office.

Whether helping clients draft new patent applications concerning innovations in gene editing techniques, or securing patent protection for a new medical treatment using these pioneering technologies, our considerable experience in this area means we are well placed to assist our clients. With several members of the team at Mewburn Ellis having technical experience of using gene editing technology in a laboratory setting, we are pleased to be able to draw on this specialised knowledge when working to protect intellectual property in the latest innovations in the gene editing space.