EPO meets with Novartis
On 4 February, the European Patent Office (EPO) held an online meeting with the Swiss pharmaceutical and biotechnology company Novartis. The exchanges, which form part of the EPO’s structured engagement with large applicants, marked the fourth bilateral meeting of this kind in 2026 and the 110th since the EPO first launched its initiative to deepen user dialogue in 2021.
The Novartis delegation was led by Head of Commercial IP Marco Riensche and included more than 20 representatives based at the company’s headquarters in Basel, as well as in the United States and the United Kingdom. The EPO delegation was led by Vice-President Patent Granting Process Steve Rowan, supported by managers and experts working in the fields of pharmaceuticals, biotechnology and patent law.
Filing trends and investment considerations
Novartis representatives emphasised timeliness of patent examination as being critical for companies’ investment decisions, especially with regard to new formulations and dosage regimens, as well as further medical uses. As Mr. Riensche emphasised, "a timely decision on whether a patent will be granted or upheld is crucial for planning and investment decisions".
Unitary Patent and supplementary protection certificates
Novartis maintains a cautious but positive approach to the Unitary Patent, and representatives expressed strong support for a centralised supplementary protection certificate system with invalidity requests and appeals handled in the Unified Patent Court. They highlighted the benefits of EU-wide consistency, as well as streamlined procedures and agreed that the EPO is a suitable authority to implement such a system.
Feedback on the latest Guidelines
Recent revisions to the Guidelines for Examination regarding antibody-related patent applications were also discussed. The EPO highlighted the public online consultation that commences in the first quarter of every year, offering all users the opportunity to submit feedback on the preview versions of each set of Guidelines, ahead of their entry into force on 1 April.
Dialogue continues
Mr Riensche thanked the EPO for the constructive meeting and welcomed continued dialogue, noting that “there is still much more to discuss.”
About Novartis
Novartis is a global pharmaceutical company with a strong research focus. In the Patent Index for 2024, Novartis ranked 13th among Swiss applicants at the EPO, with 120 filings. In 2025, Novartis invested more than USD 10 billion in research and development and employed more than 20 000 R&D staff worldwide, with a significant footprint in Europe (more than 9 000 R&D staff). The company has the third-largest drug pipeline among pharmaceutical companies globally and maintains an in-house IP team of around 80 patent attorneys worldwide.
