The EU pharmaceutical package is set to reshape the European life sciences landscape, with reforms covering data exclusivity, compulsory licences, and SPCs. At the same time, high-profile disputes such as Tecfidera have exposed the litigation risks around exclusivity calculations. This session combines a regulatory overview with a litigation focus to help in-house teams anticipate challenges and adapt their exclusivity strategies.

• Assess proposed reforms to data exclusivity periods and their implications for generic market entry and incentives for innovation.
• Analyse the Tecfidera litigation at the CJEU and national level as a case study in exclusivity disputes and portfolio risk management.
• Examine the introduction of compulsory licences in emergency situations and the resulting litigation risks for originators.
• Evaluate the EU’s push for a centralised unitary SPC system and how it may alter enforcement and harmonisation.
• Debate how exclusivity reforms will influence competition law, supply chain security, and environmental requirements.
• Understand China’s evolving regulatory and enforcement landscape for the life science sector.
• Discuss China’s reliance on invalidation proceedings and administrative routes and understands how global life science companies plan parallel patent and regulatory strategies.

With the introduction of the UPC and shifting dynamics in global patent enforcement, life science companies face renewed questions about when to settle, when to litigate, and how to choose the right forum. This candid, cross-sector panel of in-house counsel and litigators will explore how dispute resolution strategy is evolving across the industry.

• Discover how in-house teams weigh the risks and rewards of litigation versus settlement in a post-UPC world.
• Determine whether certain sectors - such as biotech, generics, or medtech - are more inclined to settle and why.
• Discuss practical insights on how to structure licensing negotiations or parallel proceedings to support favourable outcomes.

The UPC was met with caution by the life science sector. Nevertheless, new data from its first two years shows a changing reality - pharmaceutical and chemistry-related litigation is not only present, it’s gaining momentum. This session will offer a deep dive into the UPC’s evolving role in high-stakes life science patent disputes, helping you prepare an informed strategy for 2025 and beyond.

• Understand the latest UPC litigation statistics and what they reveal about pharma and chemistry sector adoption.
• Discover why Milan and Munich are emerging as key venues for life science disputes and what it means for your forum selection.
• Learn how English-language dominance is shaping litigation strategy for multinational teams.
• Analyse how early UPC case law is influencing industry confidence and what your business risks by staying on the sidelines.
• Hear how to coordinate UPC proceedings with EPO oppositions to build an integrated and effective litigation approach.