Charles Larsen and Laura Woll author Managing IP article on the UPC's first three years in life sciences

Charles Larsen and Laura Woll authored a Managing IP article reviewing how medtech, pharma, and biotech companies have used the Unified Patent Court during its first three years, and why the two sectors have taken noticeably different approaches.

Medtech has been the early adopter, with roughly 60 cases, strong year-over-year growth, and a high rate of preliminary injunction requests, driven by fast product cycles and the commercial value of quick cross-border relief. Pharma and biotech companies, with around 24 cases, have been more selective, largely because of the risk of central revocation on the high-value patents that often anchor their exclusivity strategies.

The article concludes that the divergence reflects differences in product life cycles, portfolio structures, and risk tolerance rather than courage versus caution. It also suggests that medtech’s early litigation is building the case law that will apply to pharma and biotech companies before bringing more valuable assets to the court.