Bioinformatics and Digital Health including AI

Developments in bioinformatics, and in particular AI, are fuelling important advances in the biotech and digital health space. The wealth of genetic and other information that can now be gleaned from experiments combined with the increasing power of AI underpins many commercially important digital health inventions. These important bioinformatics advances, for example, in AI-based cancer diagnosis or in silico drug design, can be patent protected to provide commercially useful protection to maintain your business’ position at the forefront.

HGF works on these advances for our clients which include global corporations, including pharma, SMEs, and prestigious universities. We advise on patent protection and trade secret protection, developing an IP strategy that provides the best protection for their bioinformatics and AI inventions.

We have worked on, for example, next generation sequencing analyses; AI-based cancer diagnostics (based on images or sequencing data); AI 3D structure analysis; small molecule in silico drug design; microbiome sequencing; AI-based patient groupings for personalized medicine; AI microbe detection and AI-based immunotherapy drug design.

Bioinformatics and AI inventions like these require a depth of experience in the crossover area between life sciences, electronics, and maths. Because of this, we have built a dedicated team of attorneys who have experience in this crossover area: life sciences attorneys with computational biology and AI backgrounds; as well as electronics attorneys and mathematics attorneys with further degrees or patent experience in life sciences.  The members of our team have drafted and successfully prosecuted bioinformatics and AI applications; defended key bioinformatics patents in opposition; and provided FTO analyses.

Trade secret protection is also key to digital health due to the wealth of value in the databases typical of AI inventions. Our team therefore also includes IP solicitors who, alongside our experienced attorneys, can put trade secret protection in place.

Latest updates

The draft of The Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Regulations 2025 reveals practical details on how to obtain a Precision Bred Organism status

In a recent blog post we discussed the Precision Breeding Regulatory Framework developed by the Food Standards Agency (FSA). Further details on the application process for Precision Bred Organism confirmation …

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Regulation of NGT plants in Europe- Polish Presidency proposes an alternative solution to the Patent ban

In the latest development on the new proposed legislation for the regulation of NGT (gene-edited) plants in the EU, the Polish Presidency have proposed an amendment which removes the proposed …

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Can the Chancellor’s so-called “Europe’s Silicon Valley” really replicate the innovative activity of its namesake?

The Chancellor of the UK, Rachel Reeves, recently unveiled plans to deliver an Oxford-Cambridge growth corridor that promises to boost the UK economy by up to £78 billion by 2035.  …

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UPC on Doctrine of Equivalents

Plant-e Knowledge BV & anor v Arkyne Technologies SL UPC_CFI_239/2023 (Brinkman, Granata, Walker & Koke) – 22 November 2024 The Hague Local Division has handed down the first substantive UPC …

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The EPO Board of Appeal comments on the scope of the morality exclusion from patentability

The recent decision, T1553/22 of the Board of Appeal required the Board to consider the scope of the exclusions from patentability under Article 53(a) EPC. The invention in this case …

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Update on the Precision Breeding Act 2023: details emerge of the new simplified regulatory pathway for gene edited plant and animal derived food and feed products

The Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Act 2023 could come into force as early as spring 2025. It empowers the Food Standards Agency (FSA) to create a new simplified regulatory pathway …

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Agritech Thymes: Arusha Protocol Enters into Force

Since being introduced in July 2015, the Arusha protocol for the protection of novel plant varieties in Africa has finally entered into force on the 24th of November 2024, after …

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Agritech Thymes: The EPO Looks at the Morality and Patentability of Therapeutics Derived from Traditional Knowledge

This case (T2510/181) heard before the Technical Boards of Appeal at the EPO in May 2024 relates to the morality and novelty of substances of a natural origin. The invention …

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Let's talk

If you would like to discuss how HGF could help you, contact one of our bioinformatics specialists.