With a degree in biochemistry and a doctorate in molecular biology, Penny’s strong scientific background has led to her specialisation in advising clients in the life sciences sector. She represents clients before all levels of the UK patent courts including the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court.  She successfully represented clients in appeals to the Supreme Court on issues of industrial application and sufficiency of claim scope.  She has also represented clients in referrals to the CJEU and the EFTA Court on the interpretation of the SPC Regulation.

She has a wealth of experience in advising on European litigation strategy and co-ordinating multi-jurisdictional patent litigation. She has represented clients in European Patent Office opposition and appeal proceedings and in appeals from the UK IPO. Penny also represents clients in patent licence disputes before the UK courts and in arbitration. She is a qualified mediator and a solicitor advocate.

Penny also counsels on pharmaceutical lifecycle management, and is experienced in providing freedom to operate and due diligence advice.

She is a frequent lecturer on aspects of IP law affecting the life sciences sector and a tutor on the Oxford University Diploma in Intellectual Property Law and Practice course, teaching patent litigation.  As a former President of EPLAW, and a current member of its advisory board, she has been involved with its aims of harmonising European Patent law, including involvement in the training of judges for the UPC.

Penny has been a partner at Powell Gilbert since it was founded in 2007.

Key cases: 

• BioNTech / Pfizer v Moderna (SARS-CoV2 vaccine)
• BioNTech/ Pfizer v CureVac (SARS-CoV2 vaccine)
• Sandoz/ Polpharma v Biogen (Tysabri)
• NuCana v Gilead (phosphoramidated nucleosides)
• Otsuka v GW (royalty dispute / jurisdiction challenge – Cannabidiol) 
• Regeneron v Kymab (antibodies / transgenic mice)
• Biogen v Gedeon Richter (Adalimumab formulations)
• Biogen v Fresenius (Adalimumab formulations)
• Biogen v AbbVie (Adalimumab)
• Merck v GSK (pneumococcal vaccines)
• Royalty Pharma v Boehringer Ingelheim (royalty dispute – Linagliptin)
• Royalty Pharma (SPC – Sitagliptin)
• Forty Seven v SSB (CD47 – therapeutic antibodies)
• Eli Lilly v Eisai (Alzheimer therapies)
• Mylan v Sandoz (protein purification)
• GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals v UCB Pharma (royalty dispute – vaccines)
• Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (SPCs – agalsidase beta)
• Pharmaq v Intervet (SPCs – veterinary vaccine)
• Eli Lilly v Biogen (monoclonal antibody use)
• Synageva v CHRF / Shire (orphan drug / enzyme replacement therapy)
• Eli Lilly v Human Genome Sciences (neutrokine alpha)
• Eli Lilly v Human Genome Sciences (SPCs – neutrokine alpha)
• Hospira v Amgen (protein pegylation)
• Sandoz / ratiopharm v Napp (patents – controlled release oxycodone formulations) 
• Roche v Chiron (SPCs – trastuzumab and enfuvirtide)
• Oxford Gene Technology v Affymetrix (DNA microarrays)
• Pharmacia v Merck (COX 2 inhibitors)
• Inhale v Quadrant (protein stabilisation)
• Quadrant v Roser (protein stabilisation)
• Chiron v Murex & Others (HCV)
• Chiron v Evans Medical & Others (pertussis antigens)
• Genentech v Wellcome (tPA)
• Genentech v Eli Lilly (HGH)