We have a long-established history of working with academic and research institutions as well as helping university spin-out companies.
These institutions contribute strongly to economic growth by creating exciting new companies that are rich in IP and at the forefront of cutting edge R&D resulting in life-changing discoveries.
Commercially astute universities have developed strategies to extract maximum benefits from their IP portfolios. We support such ventures, and seek to implement innovative and cost-effective IP strategies, giving careful consideration to the timing and number of filings and the territorial scope of protection required.
Our approach is always flexible, and is underpinned by close cooperation between different teams, particularly in areas where there may be overlap between technical disciplines. Many of our attorneys have research experience to PhD or post-doctoral level. We regularly meet with inventors who are leading experts in their field, and appreciate the need to quickly grasp the complex scientific concepts involved in order to translate these into strong IP protection.
Our services to academic clients include
- Assistance in invention harvesting, including liaising directly with inventors and tech transfer teams
- Seminars, webinars and workshops tailored to individual academic client needs
- IP portfolio audit and strategic advice
- Advising on the exploitation of IP rights for revenue opportunities
- Freedom to operate advice including infringement and validity opinions
- Due diligence work for funding, stock market flotation, business or project acquisition or sale
- Supporting licence negotiations and agreements
- Securing and prosecuting patents, trade marks and designs registrations worldwide
- Supplementary protection certificates (SPCs)
- Dispute resolution and litigation both in the UK and coordination internationally
- Search, clearance and watching
- Renewals
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Case Study
Working in Scandinavia
We work with a number of universities and technology transfer organisations across Scandinavia, often working with government funded organisations and incubators to identify and protect early stage IP for start-up and spin outs. We have a proven track record of helping start-ups to secure robust IP rights that then allows them to approach investors to expand and grow their business. We can then help develop a long term IP strategy for business growth.
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Case Study
Technology transfer team support
We have for a number of years worked with technology transfer managers at a top UK multi-disciplinary university, advising on patent drafting, prosecution and filing strategies over a wide range of subject areas, including chemistry, biotechnology and software applications. We have also advised on due diligence and licensing matters in relation to a number of different projects, including spin-outs concerned with small molecule drugs for medicinal use.
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Case Study
Patent advice
D Young & Co advised an academic spin-out company developing novel therapeutic approaches using steroids and related molecules in the areas of cancer, women’s health, diabetes and hormone-associated diseases. Our team handled drafting and prosecution work as well as advising on due diligence matters. A single drug candidate synthesised in the early 1990s led to a patent and laid the cornerstone of the whole business. This university spin-out company was subsequently acquired by a mid-sized European pharmaceutical company.
