Carpmaels & Ransford LLP

Life Sciences

Matthew is a Partner in the Life Sciences group. Matthew spends the majority of his time counselling clients in the pharmaceutical sector on strategies for maintaining market exclusivity in Europe. In this role he has assisted some of the world’s largest drug companies in protecting their intellectual property. At the core of Matthew’s practice is his experience representing clients before the European Patent Office in ex parte examination proceedings and inter partes opposition and appeal proceedings. He has handled complex multiparty opposition proceedings (in attack and defence) relating to a variety of commercial respiratory, oncology and analgesic products and his endeavours for clients have taken him all the way to the EPO’s Enlarged Board of Appeal.

Alongside this, Matthew has experience advising on SPC strategies and regulatory exclusivity relating to medicinal products in Europe.  He also has experience in providing litigation support in circumstances where parallel EPO and national court proceedings are pending.

Matthew has successfully managed cases relating to a range of different pharmaceutical subject-matter including NCE’s, combination therapies, second generation products, formulation technologies, dosage regimens, polymorphs, vaccine adjuvant systems and API manufacturing processes. He has also worked extensively in the industrial chemical sector, handling technologies ranging from the synthesis of chemical intermediates such as acetic acid, vinyl acetate, adiponitrile, caprolactam and their downstream uses, to those relating to the polymer and petrochemicals industries. Additionally, Matthew has represented clients in the speciality chemical sector, advising on inventions relating to ionic liquids, surface coatings and artificial sweeteners, amongst others. Matthew has also gained valuable commercial experience whilst on secondment to a pharmaceutical company during his training. Matthew is the Vice Chair of the IPO’s European Practice Committee. He is actively involved in committee work and regularly speaks at IPO events.

MChem (University of Oxford)Chartered Patent AttorneyEuropean Patent Attorney