< Back to latest news & events

Event

9th Microbiome R&D and Business Collaboration Forum: Europe

October 2021

Event date: 26th October 2021

9th Microbiome R&D and Business Collaboration Forum: Europe will be held on 26th-27th October 2021 in Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

The event is dedicated to exploring microbiome research and strategies for commercialisation and product development. Topics, including gut health and disease, advances beyond the gut including cancer, oral and lung microbiome and more, will be covered.

HGF’s Partner and Patent Attorney Craig Thomson and Partner and Trade Mark Attorney Alexander Hagen will be speaking on Wednesday 27th October:

  • Strategies for assessing freedom to operate in the microbiome field (12:05-12:30)

For emerging and evolving companies in the microbiome field, a clear vision of what and how they intend to bring their product or service to market is important for guiding direction and raising investment. Once such a vision can be articulated, what is also brought into focus are the potential risks associated with third party’s IP blocking the practical steps required to give the vision reality. This talk will provide a commentary on how to address third party’s IP in a practical manner so as to help navigate safe passage for the future and also how to use such analysis to assist with raising investment.

  • Developing an IP strategy timeline to support the launch of a skin-microbiome product (12:55-13:25)

Developing the technology for a unique and commercially relevant skin-microbiome product, and the associated brand strategy for launch of such a product, is complicated and involves many moving parts. Part of the challenge is to develop a commercially relevant IP strategy, that includes protection of your unique technology, protection of developing brands associated with your brand strategy, and an understanding of third party’s IP that may inhibit your planned activities. When the IP strategy is considered, and aligned with the timelines associated with the other aspects of your business, an efficient strategy can be applied that is cost effective and is not a time-drain on key management when time is most valuable.

Latest updates

Empowered, Not Replaced: The Risks and Rewards of Using AI Tools in Patent Prosecution

With the rapid rise of AI and extreme hype around generative AI tools in the workplace, patent firms around the world have had to seriously consider to what extent they …

Read article

EU Agrees on NGT Plant Regulation: What It Means for Patents and Licensing

The European Parliament and Council have reached a provisional agreement for plants developed using New Genomic Techniques (NGTs) – below we summarise the main points and set out the requirements …

Read article

When Retail Branding Meets Politics

(Inter IKEA Systems v Algemeen Vlaams Belang (Case C‑298/23) In November 2022, the Flemish political party Vlaams Belang presented its “IKEA-PLAN – Immigratie Kan Echt Anders” (“Immigration Really Can Be Different”). …

Read article

Office Closed Dates December 2025 / January 2026

HGF Office Closed Dates December 2025 / January 2026   UK Thursday 25 and Friday 26 December 2025 CLOSED Thursday 1 January 2026* CLOSED * Friday 2 January 2026 – …

Read article

Often Copied, Never Equaled: When Do Everyday Items Become Subject of Copyright?

The  borderline between ‘pure’ works of art and mere utilitarian objects” –  Can iconic, yet everyday products be protected under copyright? The above question was posed by Advocate General in …

Read article

T 0883/23: Dosage claims and their entitlement to priority when only the clinical trial protocol was disclosed in the priority application

In a recently issued decision by the EPO’s Board of Appeal (BoA), the BoA held that claims directed to a combination of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) at particular doses were …

Read article

The end of the Brexit overhang for trade marks: review, refile and revoke.

On the 31st December 2025, five years will have passed since the end of the Brexit transitional period on 31st December 2020. Why is this relevant? For UK cloned trade …

Read article
Event - 14th January 2026

Seminar on The aftermath of G1/24 - has anything changed?

HGF is hosting a The aftermath of G1/24 – has anything changed? Which will be followed by networking, apero, and snacks. The Seminar will be held on Wednesday, 14th January …

Event details