Joseph P. Taormino

Specialisation

Opposition and appeal proceedings before the European Patent Office; legal opinions and litigation in the fields of biotechnology, food chemistry and pharmaceuticals. Particular experience with patents/applications relating to genes, Proteins including antibodies, transformed eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells, transgenic animals and plants and in vitro screening and diagnostic methods. Involved in opposition/appeal proceedings on erythropoietin (T412/93), antisense RNA (T994/95), reach-through claims (T609/02) among others; cross-border litigation EU, US and Japan, due diligence evaluations on the IP assets of established biotech firms and start-ups.

Publications

Numerous lectures within Germany and abroad on biotech subjects.

Professional memberships

EPI and the Biotechnology Commission of the UEPIP.

Career

Studied chemistry at Cornell University, Ithaca, NY/USA, B.A. in 1985; Ph.D. in 1992 from The Johns Hopkins University in the area of biochemistry, cell and molecular biology and genetics. Dissertation on the transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression in animal cells. Lecture at JHU on human genetics 1992; Alexander v. Humboldt Postdoctoral Fellowship at the University of Cologne in the field of transgenic animal models in 1994. With HOFFMANN EITLE since 1994; European Patent Attorney since 1998. Co-leader of Biotech Group since 2002. Appointed by the European Commission as expert on development and
implications of patent law in the field of biotechnology and genetic engineering in 2013.

Recommendations

• iam 1000

“Taormino handles EPO proceedings with similar Poise and is gifted in oppostions”
"highly recommended individually for prosecution and nullity.”

• Who’s Who Legal Germany

"leading expert in the biotech area "
"impressive practitioner"

• Chambers Global

Taormino ranks as a leading individual (band 3) in patent prosecution.
He is "best known for legal opinions and litigation concerning patents in the field of biotechnology, food chemistry and pharmaceuticals.”

• Chambers Europe

Taormino ranks as a leading individual (band 3) in patent prosecution.
“He regularly appears before the EPO in opposition and appeal proceedings. His technical expertise spans biotechnology, food chemistry and pharmaceuticals”

• IP Patent Star Germany, Managing Intellectual Property (2019 & 2020)