Patent Attorney – Biologics

Competitive salary and benefits apply

Location: Cambridge, UK / Gothenburg, Sweden

At AstraZeneca, we turn ideas into life-changing medicines. Working here means being entrepreneurial, thinking big and working together with the utmost integrity to make the impossible a reality. We’re passionate about the potential of science to address the unmet needs of patients around the world. We commit to those areas where we believe we can really change the course of medicine and bring big new ideas to life!

This role can be based at either our stunning campus in Cambridge which is our vibrant head office in the UK or Gothenburg, Sweden - a site we've designed with collaboration in mind, which is the home to 2,500 employees, from 50 different nationalities.

We are looking for a Patent Attorney with experience in drafting and prosecution of biologic products to join our Global IP team and help turn those ideas into reality. This is a great opportunity to join a world-class in-house IP team in a leading biopharmaceutical company where you will play a vital role in protecting AstraZeneca’s fantastic pipeline. Taking on a role that bridges science and legal practice, you’ll be a global business IP advisor and will work closely with our scientists and global project teams to build and manage complex patent portfolios to protect our exciting biologics assets (including antibodies and other modalities) and innovations across R&D. As a qualified European Patent Attorney, you will prosecute directly before the EPO and partner with colleagues in the Global IP team as well as external legal counsel to obtain patents globally. Working in-house, you will keep up to date with emerging legal and pharma developments to help set and implement the global IP strategy in your area in collaboration with the Assistant General Counsel.

You will be responsible for identifying and managing all associated IP risks for your project – presenting them to IP, legal and business teams. You’ll craft strategies for the filing, prosecution, maintenance and defence of patents in your portfolio against third-party challenges. You may also work on business development deals or coordinate our response to legal changes in a particular country or region. Managing external spend to meet budget targets will also be part of your role.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

• Independently lead all aspects of build, maintenance and defence of specific patent portfolios
• Actively counsel members of Research & Development organizations to identify new inventions as well as devise and implement strategies for patent protection over the extended drug development life cycle
• Build and implement global strategic approaches toward building patent portfolios and contributing to increased business value
• Prepare and prosecute patent applications worldwide including effectively managing outside counsel as needed
• Lead all aspects of large intellectual property estates in AstraZeneca`s core and opportunistic therapeutic areas
• Evaluate and monitor patent portfolios of third parties
• Develop and communicate IP guidance to partners across the business, including within R&D, Business Development, commercial and legal
• Review and analyze license agreements and other contracts
• Provide IP and technical analysis in support of patent litigation

Essential for the role

• Fully qualified European Patent Attorney, with previous experience of handling pharmaceutical patent portfolios
• Excellent degree or equivalent in chemistry, biochemistry, or biological science
• Strong core biologics/antibody patent prosecution skills and ability to independently lead patent dockets and portfolios in multiple markets and jurisdictions

Desirable for the role

• Education to Ph.D. level or equivalent, and/or several years of laboratory experience in the relevant scientific area
• At least three years of relevant experience in life science patent prosecution with global portfolios
• Experience in the biotech and/or pharmaceutical industry
• Combined in-house and law firm experience preferred
• Experience in leading external service providers
• First-hand experience of IP-related litigation
• High level of integrity and motivation, ability to work independently
• Ability to balance multiple tasks and projects with constantly evolving priorities
• Ability to be an enterprise leader for the organization

Why AstraZeneca?

At AstraZeneca, we 're dedicated to being a Great Place to Work. Where you are empowered to push the boundaries of science and spark your entrepreneurial spirit. There’s no better place to make a difference to medicine, patients and society. An inclusive culture that champions diversity and collaboration, and always committed to lifelong learning, growth and development. We’re on an exciting journey to pioneer the future of healthcare.

So, what’s next?

• Are you already imagining yourself joining our team? Good, because we can’t wait to hear from you.
• Are you ready to bring new ideas and fresh thinking to the table? Brilliant! We have one seat available and we hope it’s yours.

Where can I find out more?

Our Social Media,

• Follow AstraZeneca on LinkedIn - LinkedIn
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Date Posted

Closing Date

AstraZeneca embraces diversity and equality of opportunity. We are committed to building an inclusive and diverse team representing all backgrounds, with as wide a range of perspectives as possible, and harnessing industry-leading skills. We believe that the more inclusive we are, the better our work will be. We welcome and consider applications to join our team from all qualified candidates, regardless of their characteristics. We comply with all applicable laws and regulations on non-discrimination in employment (and recruitment), as well as work authorization and employment eligibility verification requirements.