Speakers | Kisaco Research

Speakers

The speakers for the 2025 edition were selected for their extensive experience in managing complex IP and exclusivity challenges within the life sciences sector. Their practical insights and deep knowledge of regulatory landscapes, patent strategies, and industry trends position them as valuable contributors to discussions. These experts bring a unique perspective from within organizations, highlighting real-world challenges and solutions that are directly relevant to other professionals in the field. Their expertise ensures the event will provide actionable insights for navigating the evolving IP landscape.

 download the agenda 


If you wish to get involved, contact [email protected] for further information
  •

    Author:

    Ana Gabarda

    Director- Corporate Patent Counsel
    Merck
    ... read more

    Ana Gabarda

    Director- Corporate Patent Counsel
    Merck

  • Author:

    Ana Lopez Lozano

    Lead Patent Counsel
    Zentiva
    ... read more

    Ana Lopez Lozano

    Lead Patent Counsel
    Zentiva

  • Author:

    Andre Andrade

    Vice President, Client Relations EMEA and Law Firms,
    RWS
    ... read more

    Andre Andrade

    Vice President, Client Relations EMEA and Law Firms,
    RWS

  • Author:

    Andreas Robinson

    Senior Counsel Intellectual Property & Litigation
    Amgen
    ... read more

    Andreas Robinson

    Senior Counsel Intellectual Property & Litigation
    Amgen

  • Author:

    Axel Korth

    Associate General Counsel
    Shionogi
    ... read more

    Axel Korth

    Associate General Counsel
    Shionogi

  • Author:

    Bianca Vos

    Partner
    Hoffmann Eitle
    ... read more

    Bianca Vos

    Partner
    Hoffmann Eitle

  • Author:

    Christina Thomson

    Managing Associate
    Simmons & Simmons
    ... read more

    Christina Thomson

    Managing Associate
    Simmons & Simmons

  • Author:

    Corinna Sundermann

    Senior Vice President Intellectual Property
    Fresenius Kabi
    ... read more

    Corinna Sundermann

    Senior Vice President Intellectual Property
    Fresenius Kabi

  • Author:

    Deborah Sterling

    Director
    Sterne Kessler
    ... read more

    Deborah Sterling

    Director
    Sterne Kessler

  • Author:

    Dorian Immler

    Head of Patents
    Bayer
    ... read more

    Dorian Immler

    Head of Patents
    Bayer

  • Author:

    Eduardo Hallak

    Partner
    Licks Attorney

    Eduardo Hallak is one of the founding partners at Licks Attorneys and one of our leaders at the Sao Paulo office. For more than a decade, he has been working as a litigator before state and federal courts in Brazil in several complex disputes and leading cases involving Patent law, competition, and regulatory compliance, most of them pursuing the interests of clients in the area of life sciences. He also has extensive practice in trademark litigation as well as technology transfer contracts, working together with multinational clients to establish strong brand protection and licensing programs in the country. Mr. Hallak also currently teaches IP litigation in the Post-Graduation course at the prestigious Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (PUCRJ), has taught Civil Procedure at the at the Brazilian Association of IP Agents (ABAPI), and is often invited to lecture on procedural and strategic aspects of IP litigation, in addition to being a member of the Special Commission on Mediation of the Rio de Janeiro Chapter of the Brazilian Bar Association (OABRJ) and the Enforcement Committee of INTA.

    ... read more

    Eduardo Hallak

    Partner
    Licks Attorney

    Eduardo Hallak is one of the founding partners at Licks Attorneys and one of our leaders at the Sao Paulo office. For more than a decade, he has been working as a litigator before state and federal courts in Brazil in several complex disputes and leading cases involving Patent law, competition, and regulatory compliance, most of them pursuing the interests of clients in the area of life sciences. He also has extensive practice in trademark litigation as well as technology transfer contracts, working together with multinational clients to establish strong brand protection and licensing programs in the country. Mr. Hallak also currently teaches IP litigation in the Post-Graduation course at the prestigious Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (PUCRJ), has taught Civil Procedure at the at the Brazilian Association of IP Agents (ABAPI), and is often invited to lecture on procedural and strategic aspects of IP litigation, in addition to being a member of the Special Commission on Mediation of the Rio de Janeiro Chapter of the Brazilian Bar Association (OABRJ) and the Enforcement Committee of INTA.

  •

    Author:

    Eva Ehlich

    Partner
    Maiwald
    ... read more

    Eva Ehlich

    Partner
    Maiwald

  • Author:

    Fergal Brady

    Patent Examiner
    Irish IPO
    ... read more

    Fergal Brady

    Patent Examiner
    Irish IPO

  • Author:

    Frank Landolt

    Chief Counsel IP & Legal
    Confo Therapeutics

    Frank Landolt is Chief Counsel, Intellectual Property and Legal at Confo Therapeutics, a privately held biopharmaceutical start-up based in Ghent, Belgium specializing in GPCR-targeted therapeutics.

    After studying chemistry and law at the University of Leiden in the Netherlands, Frank worked for almost ten years on pharmaceutical and biotechological patents and licensing in private practice in the Netherlands, where his clients included major pharmaceutical companies as well as some of the top biotech firms and research institutions in the Netherlands. 

    Prior to joining Confo in 2018, Frank worked for fifteen years in Ablynx N.V. (now a wholly owned Sanofi company), where he was a member of the management team and headed an integrated IP and legal group of four lawyers and five patent professionals. At Ablynx, Frank was involved in negotiating Ablynx’s strategic partnerships and licensing deals with AbbVie, Boehringer-Ingelheim, MSD, Merck-Serono, Novartis, Novo Nordisk, Sanofi and Wyeth. 

    From 2000 to 2004, Frank was director of IP and legal counsel at Devgen N.V. (now part of Syngenta), another Ghent-based biotechnology company, where he was involved in negotiating Devgen’s strategic collaborations with Sumitomo, Monsanto and DuPont Pioneer.

    Frank is a Dutch and European patent attorney, and also holds a degree in business law from the University of Antwerp. He is a member of the Dutch association of patent attorneys (where he is a tutor for the professional qualification course), EPI and LES Benelux (where he is involved in the LES Licensing Course). He is a regular speaker on a range of topics relating to IP and licensing in the (bio)pharmaceutical sector. Frank was named as one of Managing IP’s ‘Corporate IP stars’ for four years in a row (2015-2018).

    ... read more

    Frank Landolt

    Chief Counsel IP & Legal
    Confo Therapeutics

    Frank Landolt is Chief Counsel, Intellectual Property and Legal at Confo Therapeutics, a privately held biopharmaceutical start-up based in Ghent, Belgium specializing in GPCR-targeted therapeutics.

    After studying chemistry and law at the University of Leiden in the Netherlands, Frank worked for almost ten years on pharmaceutical and biotechological patents and licensing in private practice in the Netherlands, where his clients included major pharmaceutical companies as well as some of the top biotech firms and research institutions in the Netherlands. 

    Prior to joining Confo in 2018, Frank worked for fifteen years in Ablynx N.V. (now a wholly owned Sanofi company), where he was a member of the management team and headed an integrated IP and legal group of four lawyers and five patent professionals. At Ablynx, Frank was involved in negotiating Ablynx’s strategic partnerships and licensing deals with AbbVie, Boehringer-Ingelheim, MSD, Merck-Serono, Novartis, Novo Nordisk, Sanofi and Wyeth. 

    From 2000 to 2004, Frank was director of IP and legal counsel at Devgen N.V. (now part of Syngenta), another Ghent-based biotechnology company, where he was involved in negotiating Devgen’s strategic collaborations with Sumitomo, Monsanto and DuPont Pioneer.

    Frank is a Dutch and European patent attorney, and also holds a degree in business law from the University of Antwerp. He is a member of the Dutch association of patent attorneys (where he is a tutor for the professional qualification course), EPI and LES Benelux (where he is involved in the LES Licensing Course). He is a regular speaker on a range of topics relating to IP and licensing in the (bio)pharmaceutical sector. Frank was named as one of Managing IP’s ‘Corporate IP stars’ for four years in a row (2015-2018).

  •

    Author:

    Ha Kung Wong

    Partner, Advisory Board Member
    Venable, Centre for Biosimilars

    Ha Kung Wong has over 20 years of experience practicing general intellectual property law with an emphasis on complex patent and trade secret litigation as well as IP transactions and contract negotiations for mergers, acquisitions, and collaborations in pharmaceuticals, biologics, and chemistry. Cases Mr. Wong has litigated include those related to proton pump inhibitors, allergy eye drops, anti-epileptic drugs, anti-tussive, injectable microspheres, RNAi products, and other pharmaceuticals. Mr. Wong also has extensive experience with Inter Partes Review, Post Grant Review, intellectual property counseling, pharmaceutical regulatory counseling, pre-suit investigations, licensing, and due diligence.

    Mr. Wong has his BS with high distinction in Chemistry and his BS in Biochemistry from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and his JD, cum laude, from the University of Notre Dame. Mr. Wong is currently an elected member of the Venable Board, is an Advisory Board Member for the Center for Biosimilars, is Treasurer, Executive Committee member, and Board Trustee for the Foundation for Advancement of Diversity in IP Law (FADIPL) and serves as faculty for the National Institute of Trial Advocacy (NITA) and Lawline.

    ... read more

    Ha Kung Wong

    Partner, Advisory Board Member
    Venable, Centre for Biosimilars

    Ha Kung Wong has over 20 years of experience practicing general intellectual property law with an emphasis on complex patent and trade secret litigation as well as IP transactions and contract negotiations for mergers, acquisitions, and collaborations in pharmaceuticals, biologics, and chemistry. Cases Mr. Wong has litigated include those related to proton pump inhibitors, allergy eye drops, anti-epileptic drugs, anti-tussive, injectable microspheres, RNAi products, and other pharmaceuticals. Mr. Wong also has extensive experience with Inter Partes Review, Post Grant Review, intellectual property counseling, pharmaceutical regulatory counseling, pre-suit investigations, licensing, and due diligence.

    Mr. Wong has his BS with high distinction in Chemistry and his BS in Biochemistry from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and his JD, cum laude, from the University of Notre Dame. Mr. Wong is currently an elected member of the Venable Board, is an Advisory Board Member for the Center for Biosimilars, is Treasurer, Executive Committee member, and Board Trustee for the Foundation for Advancement of Diversity in IP Law (FADIPL) and serves as faculty for the National Institute of Trial Advocacy (NITA) and Lawline.

  •

    Author:

    Hannes Iserentant

    Head of IP
    Ceylad Oncology

    Hannes Iserentant, Head of IP at Celyad Oncology, started his IP career in private practice Bird Goën & Co as member of the Life Sciences team. In 2008, he joined the tech transfer team of VIB, a dedicated life sciences research institute, as IP Manager. From 2013 to 2016, he was part of the Expert Group on patent law in the field of biotechnology for the European Commission. He joined Celyad Oncology in 2016, where he now is Head of IP. Hannes Iserentant holds a PhD in Biomedical Sciences from Ghent University, is a qualified European Patent Attorney and European Patent Litigator.

    ... read more

    Hannes Iserentant

    Head of IP
    Ceylad Oncology

    Hannes Iserentant, Head of IP at Celyad Oncology, started his IP career in private practice Bird Goën & Co as member of the Life Sciences team. In 2008, he joined the tech transfer team of VIB, a dedicated life sciences research institute, as IP Manager. From 2013 to 2016, he was part of the Expert Group on patent law in the field of biotechnology for the European Commission. He joined Celyad Oncology in 2016, where he now is Head of IP. Hannes Iserentant holds a PhD in Biomedical Sciences from Ghent University, is a qualified European Patent Attorney and European Patent Litigator.

  •

    Author:

    Ina Bürck

    Senior Counsel
    Amgen
    ... read more

    Ina Bürck

    Senior Counsel
    Amgen

  • Author:

    James Horgan

    Chief IP Counsel- Policy & Litigation
    MSD
    ... read more

    James Horgan

    Chief IP Counsel- Policy & Litigation
    MSD

  • Author:

    Jorge Goldstein

    Partner
    Sterne Kessler
    ... read more

    Jorge Goldstein

    Partner
    Sterne Kessler

  • Author:

    Julia Pike

    Global Head of IP
    Sandoz

    Since March 2020, Julia has been the Global Head of IP for Sandoz. In her previous roles with Sandoz, she has had a leading role in the first wave of US biosimilars litigation, including the first litigations on critical aspects of the governing legislation (the Biologics Price Competition and Innovation Act or BPCIA), culminating in the landmark US Supreme Court decision, Sandoz v Amgen.

     

    Since leaving private practice at Corrs Chambers Westgarth, Julia has been in-house counsel for many years including at Mayne Pharma and Hospira Inc before joining Sandoz in 2008. While there, she has taken on roles in European public affairs and led Sandoz’s global IP litigation function as Global Head of IP Litigation. Through those roles, she has maintained a keen interest in IP strategy and litigation worldwide, including cases arising under the Hatch-Waxman and BPCIA legislation in the US, PM(NOC) regulations in Canada and litigation arising from patent linkage systems around the world. 

    ... read more

    Julia Pike

    Global Head of IP
    Sandoz

    Since March 2020, Julia has been the Global Head of IP for Sandoz. In her previous roles with Sandoz, she has had a leading role in the first wave of US biosimilars litigation, including the first litigations on critical aspects of the governing legislation (the Biologics Price Competition and Innovation Act or BPCIA), culminating in the landmark US Supreme Court decision, Sandoz v Amgen.

     

    Since leaving private practice at Corrs Chambers Westgarth, Julia has been in-house counsel for many years including at Mayne Pharma and Hospira Inc before joining Sandoz in 2008. While there, she has taken on roles in European public affairs and led Sandoz’s global IP litigation function as Global Head of IP Litigation. Through those roles, she has maintained a keen interest in IP strategy and litigation worldwide, including cases arising under the Hatch-Waxman and BPCIA legislation in the US, PM(NOC) regulations in Canada and litigation arising from patent linkage systems around the world. 

  •

    Author:

    Karin Pramberger

    Head of IP
    Polpharma Group

    Karin has been Intellectual Property Director at the Polpharma Group since April 2018. She is responsible for all patent and trade mark related activities. Prior to joining the Polpharma Group, Karin was Head of IP of Medichem, Spain, and worked in various positions within the patent department of Teva, Barr and Pliva.  She spent 7 years in a law firm in Vienna, Austria, where she became European and Austrian patent and trade mark attorney. She studied Biotechnology in Vienna, Austria, and at the Ecole Nationale Supérieure de Chemie de Paris, France. In 2017 she graduated with an LLB from the University of London. Since 2005 she has been a tutor at CEIPI, University of Strasbourg, for the pre-exam and the C-part of the European Qualifying Exam. 

    ... read more

    Karin Pramberger

    Head of IP
    Polpharma Group

    Karin has been Intellectual Property Director at the Polpharma Group since April 2018. She is responsible for all patent and trade mark related activities. Prior to joining the Polpharma Group, Karin was Head of IP of Medichem, Spain, and worked in various positions within the patent department of Teva, Barr and Pliva.  She spent 7 years in a law firm in Vienna, Austria, where she became European and Austrian patent and trade mark attorney. She studied Biotechnology in Vienna, Austria, and at the Ecole Nationale Supérieure de Chemie de Paris, France. In 2017 she graduated with an LLB from the University of London. Since 2005 she has been a tutor at CEIPI, University of Strasbourg, for the pre-exam and the C-part of the European Qualifying Exam. 

  •

    Author:

    Katherine Helm

    Partner
    Dechert
    ... read more

    Katherine Helm

    Partner
    Dechert

  • Author:

    Margaret O'Gara

    Director of IP
    Nanobiotix

    Margaret is a French and European patent attorney currently heading IP at a late development stage biotech in Paris, called Nanobiotix.

    She started her professional career as a researcher in the pharma industry in the UK and France, before moving into patents in 2004.

    Since then she has worked both in-house and in IP firms and spent nearly ten years with Santarelli before taking the IP position at Nanobiotix early 2020. Margaret has considerable experience in all aspects of European patent prosecution, and post grant proceedings, as well as strategies for filing new applications . She is interested in data exclusivity and prolonging the protection of innovative products.

    ... read more

    Margaret O'Gara

    Director of IP
    Nanobiotix

    Margaret is a French and European patent attorney currently heading IP at a late development stage biotech in Paris, called Nanobiotix.

    She started her professional career as a researcher in the pharma industry in the UK and France, before moving into patents in 2004.

    Since then she has worked both in-house and in IP firms and spent nearly ten years with Santarelli before taking the IP position at Nanobiotix early 2020. Margaret has considerable experience in all aspects of European patent prosecution, and post grant proceedings, as well as strategies for filing new applications . She is interested in data exclusivity and prolonging the protection of innovative products.

  •

    Author:

    Dr Martijn de Lange

    Patent Examiner
    Netherlands Patent Office
    ... read more

    Dr Martijn de Lange

    Patent Examiner
    Netherlands Patent Office

  • Author:

    Martin Schmidt

    Life Science Technical Judge
    UPC
    ... read more

    Martin Schmidt

    Life Science Technical Judge
    UPC

  • Author:

    Mathilde Rauline

    Head of Greater Europe Patent Litigation
    Sanofi

    Mathilde is a European patent attorney, is qualified as a French patent attorney, and is admitted to the Paris bar.

    She is head of Greater Europe patent litigation at Sanofi, after having been a patent litigator in private practice (mostly in the pharmaceutical field), and a patent attorney in the industry (Sanofi, Nestlé).

    She has extensive experience in pharmaceutical and life-science patent litigation in France, at the EPO, in Europe, and in Eurasia.

    Her expertise also comprises contractual matters, settlements, regulatory aspects, and the SPC regulation.

    ... read more

    Mathilde Rauline

    Head of Greater Europe Patent Litigation
    Sanofi

    Mathilde is a European patent attorney, is qualified as a French patent attorney, and is admitted to the Paris bar.

    She is head of Greater Europe patent litigation at Sanofi, after having been a patent litigator in private practice (mostly in the pharmaceutical field), and a patent attorney in the industry (Sanofi, Nestlé).

    She has extensive experience in pharmaceutical and life-science patent litigation in France, at the EPO, in Europe, and in Eurasia.

    Her expertise also comprises contractual matters, settlements, regulatory aspects, and the SPC regulation.

  •

    Author:

    Michael Peers

    Partner
    Potter Clarkson
    ... read more

    Michael Peers

    Partner
    Potter Clarkson

  • Author:

    Michal Porubsky

    Senior Litigation Counsel
    Novo Nordisk
    ... read more

    Michal Porubsky

    Senior Litigation Counsel
    Novo Nordisk

  • Author:

    Natalia Wright

    Assistant General Patent Counsel
    UCB
    ... read more

    Natalia Wright

    Assistant General Patent Counsel
    UCB

  • Author:

    Nicolas Ruiz

    Head of IP
    Esteve
    ... read more

    Nicolas Ruiz

    Head of IP
    Esteve

  • Author:

    Dr Oliver Werner

    Head Patent Department, Head SPC Working Group
    German Patent and Trade Mark Office
    ... read more

    Dr Oliver Werner

    Head Patent Department, Head SPC Working Group
    German Patent and Trade Mark Office

  • Author:

    Patrick Purcell

    Senior Patent Examiner
    UK IPO
    ... read more

    Patrick Purcell

    Senior Patent Examiner
    UK IPO

  • Author:

    Rob Cerwinski

    Partner
    Gemini Law
    ... read more

    Rob Cerwinski

    Partner
    Gemini Law

  • Author:

    Rob Rodrigues

    Partner
    RNA law
    ... read more

    Rob Rodrigues

    Partner
    RNA law

  • Author:

    Roberto Romandini

    Legal Member of the Board of Appeal
    EPO

    Roberto Romandini obtained his law degree from the University of Pisa and his LL.M. degree from the University of Munich, where he specialized in patent law. He completed his Ph.D. thesis on the patentability of human stem cells at the Max Planck Institute in Munich before practicing IP law at a leading IP law firm in Milan for 5 years. From 2013 he was a Senior Research Fellow at the Max Planck Institute for Innovation and Competition in Munich.  Since 2019 he has been a legal member at the Boards of Appeal at the EPO. 

    ... read more

    Roberto Romandini

    Legal Member of the Board of Appeal
    EPO

    Roberto Romandini obtained his law degree from the University of Pisa and his LL.M. degree from the University of Munich, where he specialized in patent law. He completed his Ph.D. thesis on the patentability of human stem cells at the Max Planck Institute in Munich before practicing IP law at a leading IP law firm in Milan for 5 years. From 2013 he was a Senior Research Fellow at the Max Planck Institute for Innovation and Competition in Munich.  Since 2019 he has been a legal member at the Boards of Appeal at the EPO. 

  •

    Author:

    Robin Ellis

    Partner
    Reddie&Grose
    ... read more

    Robin Ellis

    Partner
    Reddie&Grose

  • Author:

    Sharada Devarasetty

    Senior Director IP
    GH Research
    ... read more

    Sharada Devarasetty

    Senior Director IP
    GH Research

  • Author:

    Stefanie Kies

    Senior Director Intellectual Property
    Polpharma Biologics
    ... read more

    Stefanie Kies

    Senior Director Intellectual Property
    Polpharma Biologics

  • Author:

    Tamaris Bucher

    Principal Patent Attorney
    Novartis

    Tamaris is a Principal Patent Attorney at Novartis. She has gained extensive experience in pharmaceuticals in her almost ten years at Novartis, as well as from a previous role at a patent law firm in Basel.

    She specialises in patent matters relating to antibody technology and cell & gene therapies. She has expertise in patent prosecution and SPC issues, as well as a keen interest in following legal developments in these areas.

    Tamaris is both a registered European Patent Attorney and Swiss Patent Attorney. Additionally, she has a background in Australian patent law, having completed a Master of Industrial Property at the University of Technology, Sydney.

    ... read more

    Tamaris Bucher

    Principal Patent Attorney
    Novartis

    Tamaris is a Principal Patent Attorney at Novartis. She has gained extensive experience in pharmaceuticals in her almost ten years at Novartis, as well as from a previous role at a patent law firm in Basel.

    She specialises in patent matters relating to antibody technology and cell & gene therapies. She has expertise in patent prosecution and SPC issues, as well as a keen interest in following legal developments in these areas.

    Tamaris is both a registered European Patent Attorney and Swiss Patent Attorney. Additionally, she has a background in Australian patent law, having completed a Master of Industrial Property at the University of Technology, Sydney.

  •

    Author:

    Toni Santamaria

    Vice President Intellectual Property
    Adalvo

    Toni has been leading the Intellectual Property team at Adalvo since 2021. He has more than 20 years of experience in different pharmaceutical companies where he has been involved in developing and implementing complex patent and data exclusivity litigation strategies for several generics and added value products, including leading parallel litigation cases in multiple European countries.   He also has experience in patent and trademark prosecution.

    Toni qualified as European Patent Attorney in 2010 and holds a PhD in Organic Chemistry.

    ... read more

    Toni Santamaria

    Vice President Intellectual Property
    Adalvo

    Toni has been leading the Intellectual Property team at Adalvo since 2021. He has more than 20 years of experience in different pharmaceutical companies where he has been involved in developing and implementing complex patent and data exclusivity litigation strategies for several generics and added value products, including leading parallel litigation cases in multiple European countries.   He also has experience in patent and trademark prosecution.

    Toni qualified as European Patent Attorney in 2010 and holds a PhD in Organic Chemistry.

  •

    Author:

    Viviane Kunisawa

    Partner
    Daniel Law
    ... read more

    Viviane Kunisawa

    Partner
    Daniel Law