Experience
Craig is recognised for providing pragmatic, commercially focused advice to clients in the biotechnological, pharmaceutical, chemical and MedTech sectors. As well as patent drafting and prosecution, Craig advises on the development of company-wide IP strategies, funding/acquisition due-diligence, and aggressive/defensive strategies in relation to third-party IP.
Having worked closely with multi-national corporations, Craig understands the challenges associated with efficiently prosecuting large multi-national patent portfolios, whilst keeping them relevant to the business. He values this experience as it helps him to provide expert guidance to SMEs as they grow or prepare for acquisition.
Whilst part of Craig’s focus is ensuring that technical aspects of each invention is accurately captured in a patent, he understands that the value of IP can only be fully realised after understanding the commercial goals of a business, and how IP can best be exploited to help underpin those goals. It is therefore important for him to understand more generally his client’s business; enabling him to provide them with a more broad-ranging, effective and valuable set of solutions. Industry sectors for which Craig has considerable knowledge of include those concerned with the microbiome, food, formulations, anti-infectives, diagnostics and MedTech.
Craig has a proven track record of providing successful outcomes for clients, both in a wide-range of legal proceedings (including opposition, entitlement, and USPTO interviews) and in successful IP-license/assignment deals involving patents that he both drafted and prosecuted to grant. He has co-written an amicus curiae (filed with the US Supreme Court for Sequenom v Ariosa), and has assisted many clients to successfully obtain investment, including listing on AIM.
Qualifications
Patent Attorney
Chartered (UK)
Europe
Ireland
BSC
Physiology and Pharmacology
MSC
Management of Intellectual Property
Recognition
IAM Patent 1000: The World’s Leading Patent Professionals 2020
“Craig Thomson, who is well versed in all things biotechnological and pharmaceutical, particularly therapeutic and diagnostic inventions. He has a “phenomenal ability to quickly grasp the key concepts in an invention and tease out the most inventive aspects so as to file the strongest possible patents. He is always on hand to guide patent strategy and has incredible patience when explaining the intricacies of the prosecution process. He is also ridiculously good fun to work with!” “He takes a practical, business-oriented approach, focusing on what will drive value in the European market in a way that enables informed decision making. In view of technological convergence, his technical versatility is invaluable.””
View recognition online
IAM Patent 1000: The World’s Leading Patent Professionals 2019
“Taking the reins on this initiative is Craig Thomson, an experienced handler of biotech, pharmaceutical, chemical and medical innovations. Thomson is a seasoned prosecutor and serves up trenchant advice on IP strategy in connection with technology-driven deals and enforcement issues; the broad ambit of his practice has helped him develop a refined commercial sense.”
Publications
Can the Chancellor’s so-called “Europe’s Silicon Valley” really replicate the innovative activity of its namesake?
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HGF & Shiga Webinar Recording: When "Please amend to fall into line with the granted claims in the US" might not work in Europe and Japan
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HGF continues to grow across Europe with office relocation and expansion in the Island of Ireland
View publication online
The Microbiome Times: ELIGO v SNIPR: a reflection on IP strategies in a competitive environment
View publication online
Conferences: 2024
4th - 5th September 2024
HGF are Platinum Sponsors of the Dublin IP and R&D Summit
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19th, 26th June 2024
HGF's 10th Annual IP in Healthcare Conference 2024
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23rd - 24th April 2024
Microbiome & Probiotic R&D & Business Collaboration Forum: Europe
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23rd - 24th March 2024
Gut Microbiota for Health World Summit 2024
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Conferences: 2023
20th - 21st September 2023
Medical Technology Ireland 2023
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13th, 22nd June 2023
The HGF IP in Healthcare Conference 2023
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13th, 22nd June 2023
The UPC has opened its doors! See the latest updates and advice on the UPC here.
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8th - 9th February 2023
5th Annual Microbiome & Probiotic Conference 2023
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Conferences: 2022
22nd October 2022
BIONABU Health Entrepreneurship and Innovation Summit 2022
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Conferences: 2021
26th October 2021
9th Microbiome R&D and Business Collaboration Forum: Europe
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21st October 2021
Medical Technology Ireland Conference 2021
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24-03-2021
Animal Microbiome Conference 2021
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3rd March 2021
Animal Microbiome Congress 2021
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27th January 2021
IAM webinar: Preparing for the IP due diligence checklist of the future for microbiome innovation
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14th January 2021
HGF IP in Healthcare Virtual Conference 2021
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Conferences: 2020
15th October 2020
4th Microbiome: Recent Developments, Regulatory, Quality and Commercialization Summit
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15th October 2020
Microbiome Movement - Maternal & Infant Health Summit 2020
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8th September 2020
Sustainable Protein Production and Animal Microbiome Virtual Summit 2020
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1st September 2020
ONE Life Sciences Leadership Forum 6
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8th July 2020
Webinar: Attracting big pharma to the Microbiome field
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24th April 2020
Translational Microbiome Conference 2020
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Conferences: 2019
26th September 2019
Medical Technology Ireland - Galway Racecourse
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3rd June 2019
2019 BIO International Convention - Philadelphia
Attended
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CSR
Craig provides the annual lecture, “Capturing, Protecting and Exploiting Intellectual Property in Business”, on the Masters Course for “Management of Innovation and Creativity” at Glasgow Caledonian University.
As IP lead, Craig is part of the Microbiome Innovation Network, part of the KTN, whos aims are to accelerate the commercialisation of microbiome-based products and services in the UK and create a vibrant community by connecting industry and academia. Craig also wrote the IP section for the Networks Roadmap document for the industry (https://ktn-uk.org/agrifood/microbiome/).
