Christopher Casley

Christopher (Chris) handles the full range of patent work in the life sciences sector, from pre-drafting advice to drafting and prosecution of worldwide patent portfolios. He also has experience with IP due diligence and European oppositions.

Areas of Expertise

• Biological therapeutics, including antibody-drug conjugates
• Prognostic and treatment response predictive methods, including related computational biology
• Cancer therapeutics, diagnostics and biomarkers
• Nanomedicine

Clients

Chris works with a wide range of clients in the life sciences field, including universities, charities and research institutions, spin-outs and SMEs to multinationals.

Background

Chris has a degree in natural sciences (pharmacology) from the University of Cambridge and a PhD from University College London, relating to the neurochemistry of Alzheimer’s disease. He carried out post-doctoral research at a multinational pharmaceutical company before joining Mewburn Ellis LLP in 2004, qualifying as a Chartered Patent Attorney in 2007 and a European Patent Attorney in 2008. He joined the partnership in 2011.

Opposition highlights

Chris has worked on multiple opposition cases, including:

EP2734549, T0102/20 – 3.3.04: Straw person opposition against the patent covering Lokivetmab, the first monoclonal antibody to be approved for veterinary use in the European Union. This Zoetis patent was revoked by the Board of Appeal.

EP3219729: Straw person opposition against patent covering feline use of an anti-IL-31 antibody was also revoked by the Opposition Division.

EP1224273, T0754/10 – 3.3.02: An offensive opposition for Danisco US Inc. of Novozymes A/S, the patent directed to enzyme-containing granules. The patent was finally revoked by Board of Appeal.

EP1032655, T1663/08 – 3.3.08: An offensive opposition for Genencor International, Inc. of Novozymes A/S for a patent directed to protease variants having improved wash performance. The patent was maintained in amended form by the opposition division. Following our arguments at the appeal oral proceedings, the patent proprietor withdrew approval of the text and the patent was revoked.

EP1141286: An offensive opposition for AstraZeneca AB of Genetics Institute, LLC and Johns Hopkins University. It was a patent directed to IL-13 antagonists for use in treatment of allergic conditions or cancer. The patent was  revoked by the Opposition Division.