PHARMACEUTICAL IP

Cell & gene therapies

At Evolve, we are excited to be involved in protecting the innovative science behind advanced therapies. We recognise that these new modalities have the potential to transform the treatment paradigm for previously incurable diseases. We are passionate about ensuring that IP strategy enables further investment in these ground-breaking scientific and clinical developments. We have extensive experience of crafting and implementing IP strategies for advanced modalities that take account of the complex and unique scientific, commercial and regulatory environment for these highly innovative technologies.

As the former IP lead for the biopharma cell therapy department at AstraZeneca, Evolve’s biotech IP attorney Rose Hughes is ideally placed to assist you with securing robust protection for your cell therapy technologies. At AstraZeneca Rose led the IP strategy for a range of cell therapy programs, including CAR-T, allogenic/off-the shelf and regenerative cell therapies. Rose also has extensive transactional experience in the cell therapy space, including platform technologies and clinical stage products.

Sector insights...

The first CAR-T for a solid tumour has arrived: What satri-cel’s approval means for the market

On 22 June 2026, China’s National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) approved satricabtagene autoleucel, or satri-cel, making it the world’s first CAR-T cell therapy cleared for a solid tumour. Developed by Shanghai-based CARsgen Therapeutics, the therapy is approved in China for patients with Claudin18.2-positive, HER2-negative advanced gastric and gastro-oesophageal junction (GEJ) cancer who have already failed…

Patenting stem cell therapies in the US: The role and risks of product-by-process claims (Restem v Jadi cell)

Patenting stem cell therapies in the US is a difficult business, especially if your cell therapy product is defined solely by natural surface cell markers and lacks any form of genetic modification.

A new way to define T cells and what it means for cell therapy IP

A primary objective of a pharmaceutical patent is to provide robust protection for the drug product itself. Defining a cell therapy product represents a challenge in this respect, given their inherent complexity, heterogeneity and instability.

The validity and value of cell therapy safety protocol inventions (T 1555/23)

The patent in T 1555/23 is impressively broad. The claims covered a medical use invention comprising treating the side effects of CAR-T cell therapy using the now industry-standard class of cytokine inhibitor. The claim was not limited to any particular CAR-T cell therapy, target, type of cancer or specific inhibitor.

CAR-Macrophage (CAR-M) cell therapy: Advantages, challenges, and emerging innovations

Are macrophages the next big thing in cell therapy?

Overcoming the freedom to operate and patentability challenges for cell therapies

How do you navigate the freedom to operate and patentability challenges in a field as complex, competitive and crowded as cell therapy?

Bridging the innovation and commercialisation gap: IP strategy for advanced therapies

Three principles of effective IP strategy for cell and gene therapies.

IP strategy for the universal cell therapy revolution

The cell therapy landscape is at a pivotal moment. There is a considerable pressure within the industry to solve the manufacturing and logistical challenges that have defined the first generation of cell therapies.

The great consolidation: Big pharma buys the advanced therapy technology, not just the drug

The latest cell and gene therapy industry trends reveals a shift in strategy towards platforms.

The reproducibility challenge for advanced therapies (T 0827/23)

Your biotech invention works, but can you prove it’s better? A recent EPO ruling on extracellular vesicles (T 0827/23) shows why the lack of comparative data can be fatal for a patent.
View more Insights