EPO meets with AstraZeneca
On 19 September, the European Patent Office (EPO) held a high-level online meeting with AstraZeneca.
This was the 19th meeting between the EPO and a large applicant in 2025. It also marked the 100th such meeting since the launch of Strategic Plan 2023, a key milestone in the EPO’s ongoing efforts to strengthening co-operation with users. The meeting forms part of the EPO’s Quality Action Plan, aimed at deepening user dialogue and enhancing the consistency and efficiency of the patent granting process.
AstraZeneca’s delegation of 22 participants, led by Mr Scott Alban, Senior Vice President of Intellectual Property, opened the meeting by affirming the company’s appreciation for the EPO’s “deep and rigorous search and examination; providing strong patents which can be used for litigation.”
Discussions centred on accelerating the patent granting process, use of MyEPO’s Shared Area and the importance of consistency of practice, a focus which AstraZeneca welcomed as part of the EPO’s 2024 and 2025 Quality Action Plans. Mr Alban thanked the EPO for the opportunity to exchange, calling the Office a critical partner in AstraZeneca’s mission.
About AstraZeneca
AstraZeneca is a global, science-led biopharmaceutical company that focuses on the discovery, development and commercialisation of prescription medicines in oncology, rare diseases and biopharmaceuticals, including cardiovascular, renal, metabolism, respiratory and immunology. Based in Cambridge in the United Kingdom, AstraZeneca's medicines are sold in more than 125 countries and used by millions of patients worldwide. The company employs 94 300 people across the globe, with USD 54.1 billion in revenue in 2024, including USD 13.6 billion invested in research and development.
With 121 European patent filings, AstraZeneca ranks as the EPO’s 193rd top applicant in the Patent Index 2024. The company is focused on investing in technologies and platforms that will shape the future of medicine, supported by robust patent protection.
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