Marleen joined La Gro in 2023 as partner Intellectual Property & Technology and member of the Healthcare & Life Sciences sector group. Marleen has more than 25 years of experience in conducting complex (cross-border) proceedings on intellectual property. Specialised in patent law, she handles cases involving mechanical engineering, telecoms, electrical engineering, chemistry and life sciences. For example relating to ship shutters, floating solar panels, LTE & 4G/5G SEPs and FRAND issues. Marleen has achieved international recognition in the field of life sciences. In recent years, she has litigated and advised on patent/SPC and regulatory issues concerning medicinal products with active ingredients such as (es)omeprazole, alendronate, escitalopram, glatiramer acetate, trastuzumab, zoledronate, rivastigmine, ezetimibe+simvastatin, pemetrexed, sitagliptin, deferasirox, DMF, fingolimod and on CRISPR-Cas9 technology. Marleen advises clients in negotiating and drawing up e.g. licences and cooperation agreements.

Expertise

• Patent litigation in all fields of technology and strategic advice (national and UPC)
• Regulatory disputes and advice regarding medicinal products and medical devices

Professional activities

• Marleen is a board member of the NeoKidney Foundation that focuses on the development of a portable artificial kidney (medical device). She provides pro bono advice on patent and other legal issues.
• Marleen is a member of several professional organisations and trade associations, such as EPLAW, AIPPI, APAA, LES, VF&R and VIEPA.
• She is frequently asked as a speaker at international conferences, such as ERA’s Annual EU Pharmaceutical law Conference, Fordham University’s Annual IP Conference, World IP Forum, LESI and EPLAW.

Publications

• 2023, ‘Patents and Regulatory Data Exclusivity for Medicinal products’, Chapter 6 in: ‘Overlapping Intellectual Property Rights’, Oxford University Press, 2^nd edition. (co-author Dr. Duncan Curley);
• 1989: Dissertation: ‘Compensation for Improvements’, VU University Press, Amsterdam.