Keeping pace with the ever-changing life sciences industry, Morrison Foerster stays on top of the trends and political, legal, and economic drivers to support striking the balance between innovative discovery and purposeful business planning to assure our clients continued success. MoFo Life Sciences shares timely legal and business insights and in-depth analyses on trends and the complex technologies at the heart of the global pharmaceutical, biotechnology, diagnostics, medical devices, digital health, and AgTech fields.Learn more about our <a href="https://www.mofo.com/capabilities/life-sciences-healthcare" target="_self">Life Sciences practice</a>.<h2 dir="ltr">ABOUT MORRISON FOERSTER</h2>Morrison Foerster is a leading global law firm that transforms complexity into advantage for its clients. Our clients include some of the largest financial institutions, banks, consulting and accounting firms, and Fortune 100, technology, and life sciences companies. Highlighting the firm’s commitment to client service, leadership in market-changing deals and impact litigation, and values-based culture, Morrison Foerster has been repeatedly recognized as one of the top 10 firms on The American Lawyer’s A-List. Year after year, the firm receives significant recognition from Chambers and The Legal 500 across their various guides, including Global, USA, Asia‑Pacific, Europe, UK, Latin America, and FinTech Legal. Our lawyers passionately care about delivering legal excellence while living our values. Morrison Foerster has a long-standing commitment to creating a culture that respects and celebrates differences, while providing an inclusive environment. The firm has achieved Mansfield Certification Plus since 2018 as a result of successfully reaching at least 30 percent women, communities of color, and LGBTQ+ lawyer representation in a notable number of current leadership roles and committees. The firm also has a long history of commitment to the community and society through providing pro bono legal services, including litigating for civil rights and civil liberties, improving public education and fostering the wellbeing of children, advocating for veterans, promoting international human rights, enforcing the right to asylum, and safeguarding the environment.

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Dr. Meghan Poon counsels clients on patent preparation and prosecution, portfolio strategy, and IP due diligence in the areas of biotechnology and biologics. She has significant experience in diverse technologies including antibodies, cell therapies, gene therapies, diagnostics, and gene-edited plants. She represents clients ranging from large international pharmaceutical companies to midsized companies, startups, and universities.Meghan has filed numerous Patent Term Extension applications to secure additional term for her clients’ patents, which cover FDA-approved products. In addition, Meghan has extensive experience addressing complex obviousness-double patenting and subject matter eligibility issues impacting her clients’ patent portfolios. Meghan also represents clients in both investor-side and target-side due diligence, in deals from seed funding to initial public offerings.Prior to law school, Meghan attended graduate school at the University of California, Los Angeles, where she received a Ph.D. in biological chemistry based on her work on protein-protein and protein-DNA interactions at a molecular level. Meghan is the author of several scientific publications and has presented her research at international conferences.Meghan received her J.D. from the University of Southern California Law School and spent a year as a visiting student at Santa Clara University, where she focused on intellectual property.

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Dr. Meghan Poon counsels clients on patent preparation and prosecution, portfolio strategy, and IP due diligence in the areas of biotechnology and biologics. She has significant experience in diverse technologies including antibodies, cell therapies, gene therapies, diagnostics, and gene-edited plants.

Meghan Poon

Wolfgang advises clients on contentious and non-contentious matters involving their most valuable intellectual property assets in life sciences, digital, and high-tech industries.His subjects of focus include research and development collaborations, complex licensing agreements, and other technology transactions, as well as know-how protection strategies, and employee invention law. He also has substantial experience in litigating patents, trademarks, and other intellectual property assets, often in a multijurisdictional context. In addition, Wolfgang and his team frequently clear trademarks and ad campaigns and prosecute trademark applications.Wolfgang is co-editor of our <a href="https://lifesciences.mofo.com/" dir="ltr" target="_blank">MoFo Life Sciences Blog</a>.Wolfgang is a partner of Morrison Foerster based in our German office in Berlin.<h4 dir="ltr">Representative Transactional Matters</h4><ul dir="ltr"><li>U.S.-based BioTech fund on various research collaborations and other transactions with German start-ups or research institutions.</li><li>Negotiate multimillion-euro strategic partnership between two AgTech leaders concerning the development and commercialization of pest-resistant transgenic traits.</li><li>Craft global multi-million collaboration regarding AI-powered robotic MaaS.</li><li>UK-based digital health company on product roll-out of RPM applications in Germany; coordinate international expansion.</li><li>Advise numerous German start-ups on their U.S. expansion.</li><li>Draft diverse global patent and know-how license agreements in the areas of AgTech and life sciences—including gene licensing and licensing of genome editing technologies (e.g., CRISPR)—and medical devices; draft correlating supply and distribution agreements.</li><li>Structure IP rights in connection with joint ventures and other M&A transactions, including the carve-out of a patent-heavy semiconductor business comprising nine jurisdictions into a German–U.S. joint venture.</li><li dir="ltr">Advise on government-funded, multi-partner R&D projects and/or R&D projects with academic institutions, as well as on employee invention law.</li></ul><h4 dir="ltr">Representative Contentious IP Matters</h4><ul dir="ltr"><li>Lead counsel in an international dispute between software companies on rights and obligations following termination of a multi-million licensing and distribution arrangement; coordinate local counsel.</li><li>Defend Japanese chip manufacturer in high-profile SEP-litigation; advise on global settlement arrangement.</li><li>Represent leading internet retailer in patent infringement and concurrent invalidity proceedings in the context of a multijurisdictional dispute concerning touch-screen technology.</li><li>Represent diverse pharmaceutical and life sciences companies in national and cross-border patent infringement proceedings and other technology-related disputes, including preliminary injunctions as well as pre‑trial discovery and inspection proceedings, concerning, inter alia, drug-coating technologies, toner cartridges, medicinal gases, transgenic plants, and vaccines.</li><li dir="ltr">Conduct trademark, copyright, and false advertising litigation, including, most notably, a high-profile trademark litigation for a German bank, and a nine-country cross-border trademark litigation involving a famous pharmaceutical brand.</li></ul>

Dr. Wolfgang Schönig berät Mandanten zum Schutz des geistigen Eigentums sowohl in streitigen als auch nichtstreitigen Angelegenheiten, mit einem besonderen Fokus auf die IP-rechtliche Beratung von Unternehmen aus den Bereichen Life Sciences, Digitalwirtschaft und High-Tech.Zu seinen Beratungsschwerpunkten gehören Forschungs- und Entwicklungskooperationen, komplexe Lizenzvertragsgestaltungen und andereTechnologie-Transaktionen, sowie Know-how-Schutz-Strategien und das Arbeitnehmererfinderrecht. Er verfügt zudem über umfangreiche Prozesserfahrung zur Durchsetzung von Patenten, Marken- und anderen IP-Rechten, häufig auch in einem grenzüberschreitenden Kontext. Darüber hinaus bewertet Dr. Wolfgang Schönig zusammen mit seinem Team regelmäßig die Rechtskonformität von Werbekampagnen, prüft die Verfügbarkeit von Marken und entwickelt entsprechende Anmeldestrategien.Dr. Wolfgang Schönig ist Co-Editor des Life Sciences Blogs von Morrison Foerster.Er hat seinen Doktortitel an der Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf und seinen LL.M. an der Fordham School of Law in New York erworben, jeweils mit Schwerpunkt im gewerblichen Rechtsschutz. Seinen MBA-Abschluss erhielt er von der European University in Barcelona.Dr. Wolfgang Schönig ist Partner des deutschen Büros von Morrison Foerster in Berlin.<h4 dir="ltr">Repräsentative Transaktionen</h4><ul><li dir="ltr">BioTech-Fonds mit Sitz in den USA bei verschiedenen Forschungskooperationen und anderen Transaktionen mit deutschen Start-ups oder Forschungseinrichtungen</li><li dir="ltr">Verhandlung einer hochvolumigen strategischen Partnerschaft zwischen zwei Technologieführern im Bereich Crop Science betreffend der Entwicklung und Kommerzialisierung von bestimmten Resistenzen</li><li dir="ltr">Gestaltung einer globalen Multi-Millionen-Zusammenarbeit für KI-gestützte Roboter</li><li dir="ltr">Ein in Großbritannien ansässiges Unternehmen für digitale Gesundheit bei der Markteinführung von RPM-Anwendungen in Deutschland; Koordination der internationalen Expansion</li><li dir="ltr">Beratung zahlreicher deutscher Start-ups bei deren US-Expansion</li><li dir="ltr">Strukturierung und Verhandlung diverser Patent- und Know-How-Lizenzen in den Bereichen Ag Tech und Life Sciences – einschließlich Fragen zu genome editing wie CRISPR-Medizingeräte, sowie Gestaltung von Softwarelizenzverträgen und Erstellung korrespondierender Liefer- und Vertriebsvereinbarungen</li><li dir="ltr">Strukturierung von IP-Rechten im Zusammenhang mit Joint Ventures und anderen M&A-Transaktionen, darunter die Koordination eines neun Länder umfassenden IP Carve-Outs im Rahmen eines Halbleiter-JVs</li><li dir="ltr">Beratung zu staatlich geförderten Multi-Partner F&E-Projekten und/oder F&E-Projekten mit akademischen Einrichtungen sowie zum Arbeitnehmererfindungsrecht</li></ul><h4 dir="ltr">Repräsentative IP-Streitigkeiten</h4><ul><li dir="ltr">Lead Counsel in einem internationalen Rechtsstreit zwischen Softwareunternehmen über Rechte und Pflichten nach Beendigung einer millionenschweren Lizenz- und Vertriebsvereinbarung; Koordinierung der lokalen Anwälte</li><li dir="ltr">Verteidigung eines japanischen Chipherstellers in einem prominenten Streitfall bezüglich Standardessentieller Patente (SEP); Beratung zu einer globalen Vergleichsregelung</li><li dir="ltr">Verteidigung einer führenden Internetplattform gegen Ansprüche eines Patenttrolls wegen vermeintlicher Verletzung von Patent bezüglich Touchscreen-Technologie sowie korrespondierende US-Streitigkeiten</li><li dir="ltr">Vertretung von Pharma- und Life Science-Unternehmen in nationalen und grenzüberschreitenden Patentverletzungsverfahren und anderen technologiebezogenen Streitigkeiten, einschließlich einstweiliger Verfügungsverfahren und vorprozessualer Beweissicherungs- und Besichtigungsverfahren, unter anderem in Bezug auf Arzneimittelbeschichtungstechnologien, Tonerkartuschen, medizinische Gase, transgene Pflanzen und Impfstoffe</li></ul>

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Wolfgang Schönig is a partner of Morrison Foerster (International) LLP based in our German office in Berlin. His practice specialty is advising on IP aspects relative to transactions in, among others, the life sciences, AgTech and pharmaceuticals industry, as well as legal representation in IP disputes. Wolfgang is specialized in research and development collaborations, complex licensing agreements, technology acquisitions, know-how protection strategies, and employee invention law.

Wolfgang Schönig focuses his practice on IP aspects relative to transactions in the digital, telecoms, high tech, life sciences, and pharmaceuticals industry, as well as legal representation in IP disputes.

Wolfgang Schönig advises clients on IP aspects relating to transactions in, among others, the life sciences, AgTech and pharmaceuticals industry, as well as legal representation in IP disputes. His additional focus areas include research and development collaborations, complex licensing agreements, technology acquisitions, know-how protection strategies, and employee invention law.

Wolfgang Schönig

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﻿Originally published on the Future Food-tech Alternative Proteins website.Morrison Foerster recent participated in the Future Food-Tech Alternative Proteins Summit, where investors, brands, and start-ups met to unlock new partnership opportunities and showcase innovation across plant-based, cell-based, and microbial fermentation.Ahead of the summit, Michael Ward, partner and Co-Chair of the firm’s global Food & Agriculture Industry Group, shared his thoughts on why partnership is so important in the industry.“At Morrison & Foerster, innovation is rooted in our collaborative, comprehensive approach through the full business life cycle for the food & agriculture industry. We work with start-ups, investors, and global brands on strategies to mitigate climate risk, reduce carbon, maximize social and environmental impacts, and ensure that technologies are implemented at scale and safeguarded by global intellectual property protection”Read the <a href="https://www.futurefoodtechprotein.com/10-reasons-why-partnerships-are-critical-to-the-alternative-protein-sector/" target="_blank">full article</a> to hear from other industry pioneers, and learn more about alternative proteins in our series of alerts below.<a href="https://www.mofo.com/resources/insights/211028-alternative-protein-industry-series">Alternative Protein - A Comparison of the Regulation of Insect Protein as Food and Feed</a><a href="https://www.mofo.com/resources/insights/210602-alternative-protein-industry-series">Alternative Protein Industry Series</a><a href="https://www.mofo.com/resources/insights/220223-quick-guide-jvs-alternative-protein-industry">Quick Guide to JVs in the Alternative Protein Industry</a>

Partnering with the Alternative Protein Sector

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Michael (Mike) Ward is co-chair of the firm's Life Sciences + Healthcare Group, Patent Group, Intellectual Property Group, and Food + Agriculture Group.

Michael Ward Ph.D.

Michael (Mike) Ward is global head of the Life Sciences + Healthcare Group, head of the Patent Group, co-chair of the firm’s Intellectual Property Group, and co-chair of our global Food + Agriculture Group.

Michael Ward

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Partnering with the Alternative Protein Sector

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Morrison Foerster recent participated in the Future Food-Tech Alternative Proteins Summit, where investors, brands, and start-ups met to unlock new partnership opportunities and showcase innovation across plant-based, cell-based, and microbial fermentation.

Our <a href="https://federalcircuitry.mofo.com/topics/last-week-in-the-federal-circuit-august-15-august-19-the-court-rebuffs-patent-owner-s-attempt-to-read-anda-application-in-isolation">Federal Circuitry blog</a> recently discussed the Court's decision in <a href="https://cafc.uscourts.gov/opinions-orders/21-2342.OPINION.8-18-2022_1993064.pdf">Par Pharmaceutical, Inc. v. Eagle Pharmaceuticals, Inc</a>., No. 21-2342.You should read this case if: you have an ANDA case involving “actual, real-world evidence” that might conflict with what the ANDA saysFor our case of the week, we turn to the ANDA world. As readers know and in the simplest of terms, an ANDA is an Abbreviated New Drug Application, which a generic drug manufacturer (which we’ll off-and-on refer to as the ANDA applicant) files with the FDA to seek approval to sell a generic version of a brand name drug. Before the generic goes on the market, the brand manufacturer can file an action to enjoin the generic from reaching the market. Ordinarily, it does so under Section 271(e)(2), which makes it an (artificial) act of infringement for an ANDA applicant to file an ANDA that infringes the brand manufacturer’s patent claims. Section 271(e)(2) requires comparing the patent claims to the ANDA’s specification—as the proposed generic product must meet the ANDA’s specifications.<a href="https://federalcircuitry.mofo.com/topics/last-week-in-the-federal-circuit-august-15-august-19-the-court-rebuffs-patent-owner-s-attempt-to-read-anda-application-in-isolation">Read more</a>.

Last Week in the Federal Circuit (August 15 – August 19): The Court Rebuffs Patent Owner’s Attempt to Read Anda Application in Isolation

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Brian Matsui co-chairs Morrison Foerster’s Appellate and Supreme Court practice. Brian is a go-to appellate advocate for sophisticated clients in complex appeals nationwide. 

Brian R. Matsui

Brian Matsui is a partner in Morrison Foerster’s Appellate and Supreme Court practice. For nearly 20 years, Brian has been a go-to appellate advocate for sophisticated clients in complex appeals nationwide. Clients turn to Brian for his substantial experience in patent appeals in the Federal Circuit. He has argued more than 10 times in that Court, winning appeals from both district courts and the Patent Trial and Appeal Board. Brian excels at applying significant legal principles to complex technologies in a way that distills them for the Court. He has done so for companies in a myriad of industries, including mobile device manufacturers, pharmaceutical companies, medical device companies, memory manufacturers, movie studios, and software companies.

Brian Matsui

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Last Week in the Federal Circuit (August 15 – August 19): The Court Rebuffs Patent Owner’s Attempt to Read Anda Application in Isolation

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Our Federal Circuitry blog recently discussed the Court's decision in Par Pharmaceutical, Inc. v. Eagle Pharmaceuticals, Inc., No. 21-2342.

Our Federal Circuitry blog recently discussed the Court's decision in <a href="https://cafc.uscourts.gov/opinions-orders/19-2054.OPINION.8-11-2022_1990706.pdf" target="_blank">Hologic, Inc. v. Minerva Surgical, Inc.</a>, No. 19-2054.You should read this case if: you want to know how the Federal Circuit will treat assignor estoppel post-MinervaYou have to feel a little sorry for a party that beats the incredible odds of getting Supreme Court review only to end up with the same result. That’s what happened in our case of the week. Unless you’ve been living under a rock (or the proverbial equivalent of a rock in patent-land—the MPEP maybe), you’re no doubt aware of one of the few relatively recent Supreme Court patent cases: <div><a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/20pdf/20-440_9ol1.pdf" target="_blank">Minerva Surgical, Inc. v. Hologic, Inc. </a>(And once again, here’s where a few readers shed a tear for what could have been in American Axle.) As a recap, the Supreme Court granted cert to decide whether the doctrine of assignor estoppel found any support in patent law. Assignor estoppel precludes an assignor of a patent from later challenging that patent’s validity. At least initially, smart money was on the “no” side, as nothing in the U.S. Code expressly provides for assignor estoppel, and this is supposedly a textualist Supreme Court.</div>

Last Week in the Federal Circuit (August 8 – August 12): Taking a round Trip on the Assignor Estoppel Express

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Last Week in the Federal Circuit (August 8 – August 12): Taking a round Trip on the Assignor Estoppel Express

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For most of us, we’re stuck in the August heat, on delayed European vacations, or hopefully just hanging out at the beach. But for the Court it still was work as usual, including a return trip to the Federal Circuit for the defendant in Minerva. Below we provide our usual weekly statistics and a detailed discussion of our case of the week—our highly subjective selection based on whatever case piqued our interest.

Originally published on the World Agri-tech <a href="https://worldagritechinnovation.com/" target="_blank">website</a>.10 years on from its discovery, CRISPR’s potential for agricultural adaptation has started to gather momentum. In advance of the 2022 World Agri-tech Innovation Summit in London, the industry’s leading specialists weighed in on what new frontiers and capabilities we can expect for the coming decade ahead. Michael Ward, Head of MoFo’s Life Sciences and Patent Practice Groups & IP Group Co-Chair, along with Sarah E. Bloch, Patent Agent, shared their predictions:“From an agricultural perspective, CRISPR has already led to an array of technologies that can advance crop productivity and sustainability. I hope that in the coming decade these efforts can continue to accelerate and have a global impact for both consumers and growers. To achieve this, it will be critical to have clear regulatory pathways that allow safe deployment of CRISPR technology without creating undue barriers to entry, particularly in those jurisdictions that set the standards for others. For example, a clarified regulatory pathway for commercializing CRISPR-edited crops in Europe would enable deployment of valuable technologies not only in Europe, but likely also in many other countries that would likely follow Europe’s lead.”Click here to read the <a href="https://worldagritechinnovation.com/crisprs-next-10-years-from-lab-to-plate/" target="_blank">full article</a> and join MoFo at the <a href="https://www.mofo.com/resources/events/220920-world-agri-tech-innovation-summit" target="_blank">World Agri-tech Innovation Summi</a><a href="https://www.mofo.com/resources/events/220920-world-agri-tech-innovation-summit">t</a> in London, September 20-22, 2022.

CRISPR’s Next 10 Years: From Lab To Plate?

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Patent Agent

Dr. Sarah Bloch focuses her work on patent drafting and prosecution. Sarah has experience in IP due diligence inquiries, with an emphasis on biotechnology, agriculture, and the food industry.
Sarah ha

Sarah E. Bloch Ph.D.

Sarah Bloch

CRISPR’s Next 10 Years: From Lab To Plate?

10 years on from its discovery, CRISPR’s potential for agricultural adaptation has started to gather momentum.

The Beni Suef Economic Court in Egypt has recently ordered the removal of nearly five hectares of illegally grown Early Sweet™ grapevines, totaling 9000 vines and associated seedlings. The farm owner did not have a license to grow or commercialize the Early Sweet™ grapes and was found to be infringing the intellectual property (IP) rights held by Grapa Varieties Ltd. The case against the farm owner was won by Grapa, which specializes in breeding and licensing premium table grape varieties under the ARRA™ and Early Sweet™ brands. The particular IP right at issue was a plant breeders’ right (PBR) owned by Grapa.PBRs are similar to other forms of IP, such as patents, but are a sui generis form of IP protection available in many countries specifically for plant varieties. Egypt introduced its national plant variety protection system in 2002 under Law 82. Although negotiations regarding an association agreement for Egypt to be considered for membership in the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV) began in 1995, Egypt did not accede to UPOV until 2019, after establishing compliance with the 1991 revised version of the UPOV Convention.  Grapa Varieties Ltd. previously dealt with illegal grape exports into Europe in June 2021 when illegally exported grapes were <a href="https://grapaes.com/the-power-of-enforcement/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-power-of-enforcement">seized in a port and destroyed</a>. However, the new removal order is the first instance when enforcement has protected the PBRs at the origin of the fruit inside Egypt. The Beni Suef Economic Court ruling thus reflects a significant expansion in the industry protection of PBRs in Egypt, and comes as part of a wider crackdown on illegal fruit exports. This crackdown has been assisted by a decree issued last year by Egypt’s Minister of Agriculture, H.E. El-Sayed El-Quseir, which requires all farms to be registered and assessed before gaining the right to export. Infringements, such as from the propagation, sale, display, or export of the variety without a license, now result in a fine and the possibility of a custodial sentence.The order from the Beni Suef Economic Court demonstrates the commitment of Egypt’s phytosanitary authorities to protect the rights of plant breeders and their legitimate licensees within the country. The outcome of this case is likely to resonate throughout the export industry, as repeated incidents of export seizures incur significant financial losses for exporters, and negatively impact Egypt’s international reputation in the agricultural sector. Given that Egypt exports around 150,000 tonnes of grapes a year and has cornered the market as the world’s largest exporter of fresh oranges, relying on seizures at the export stage to protect plant IP would be worrying and expensive. The protection afforded through PBRs within Egypt is thus instrumental in ensuring that the IP holder does not experience a loss in revenue caused by illegal production and importation. <a href="https://grapaes.com/illegal-early-sweet-grapes-uprooted-in-egypt/">Sources</a> believe the citrus market is next in line for the IP shake-up.The <a href="https://www.freshfruitportal.com/news/2022/07/13/grapa-wins-legal-case-against-illegal-planting-in-egypt/">well-publicized protection</a> of Grapa’s PBRs by the Court will boost breeders’ confidence that pursuing illegal plantations, nurseries, and exporters in Egypt is not only achievable, but is expected of the phytosanitary authorities. This will have the additional benefit of strengthening Egypt’s image in international markets, thus improving Egypt’s ability to access new protected plants and create a healthy climate for breeders to invest in Egypt.

IN VINEIS VERITAS: NO SOUR GRAPES AS EGYPTIAN COURT ORDERS REMOVAL OF ILLEGAL VINES

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Associate

Dr. Liz Freeman Rosenzweig focuses her practice on patent prosecution and intellectual property and regulatory counseling in the areas of life sciences and agricultural biotechnology, including AgTech

Liz Freeman Rosenzweig Ph.D.

Liz Freeman Rosenzweig