All team members
Partner
German Patent Attorney
European Patent Attorney
Representative before the UPC
Chemist
Derk specializes in the fields of chemistry and pharmaceuticals, with particular emphasis on medicinal products (e.g. small molecules), plant protection agents, lubricants and chemical processes.
Derk provides counselling on patent portfolio strategies and portfolio management across a wide range of IP-related matters including validity, infringement and nullity proceedings, supplementary protection certificates, due diligence and freedom-to-operate. He drafts patent applications and oversees patent prosecution worldwide. He has successfully conducted numerous opposition and appeal proceedings before the EPO, including petition for review proceedings before the Enlarged Board of Appeal. He has been involved in and coordinated national and international nullity and infringement proceedings, particularly in the areas of pharmaceuticals and diagnostics.
"Derk Vos is at home in both organic and inorganic chemistry, counselling pharmaceutical clients as well as industrial lubricant manufacturers. Technically astute and commercially focused, Vos has a long track record of getting the most value out of his patrons’ intellectual assets."
– IAM Patent 1000, 2023
"Derk Vos is a master portfolio strategist and international coordinator with in-depth knowledge of chemical processes relating to everything from medicinal products to plant protection agents and lubricants."
– IAM Patent 1000, 2021
"Derk Vos’s technical hotspot is organic and inorganic chemistry, encompassing everything from pharmaceuticals to pesticides, lubricants, oil recovery and coatings."
– IAM Patent 1000, 2020
High priority – Priority Entitlement in the EPO (EBA referrals G 1/22 and G 2/22)”, invited lecture at the Basel Intellectual Property Lectures, 2022
Plausibility – A new Criterion for patentability?, invited lecture at Basel Intellectual Property Lectures, 2019
The pitfalls of Article 123(2) EPC – Recent Case Law of the Boards of Appeal, invited lecture at Basel Intellectual Property Lectures, 2012
The EPO’s approach to disclaimers, Managing Intellectual Property – Europe IP Focus 2010
Towards a new novelty definition for chemical structures, Managing Intellectual Property, 2009
ECJ to rule on SPC dates, Managing Intellectual Property, 2008
EBA rules on validity of divisional applications, Managing Intellectual Property, 2007