Charlotte Weekes
Partner, Head of Life sciences
Charlotte is a life sciences specialist with 20 years' experience advising clients in the sector. Charlotte's primary expertise is contentious intellectual property, particularly advising on complex multi-jurisdictional pharmaceutical patent and SPC strategies and litigation. She is based in London and Dublin.
Charlotte's experience
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Advised Teva, a global pharmaceutical company in UK High Court (2024) and subsequently Court of Appeal proceedings (2025) concerning Astellas’ compound patent covering enzalutamide, a treatment for prostate cancer.
- Cross-border
- Technology, Science & Industry
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Advised Fresenius Kabi on its UK patent litigation strategy relating to biosimilar ustekinumab and challenge to Janssen’s Stelara dosing regimen patent.
- Cross-border
- Technology, Science & Industry
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Advised life sciences client on Unified Patent Court protective letter strategy.
- United Kingdom
- Technology, Science & Industry
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Supported Formycon in preliminary injunction proceedings brought by Janssen alleging that Formycon AG was not permitted to make use of the SPC manufacturing waiver to manufacture their biosimilar ustekinumab in Germany for export outside of the EU.
- Cross-border
- Life Sciences & Healthcare
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Advised Teva in damages proceedings from infringement claims brought by Warner-Lambert when generic pregabalin (Pfizer’s Lyrica®) products were launched in 2015 with skinny labels (carve out of patented indication). Damages proceedings also saw NHS bring its first claim for compensation for losses suffered as a result of court-ordered interim relief.
- United Kingdom
- Technology, Science & Industry
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Advised the UK government on its agreement with Pfizer and BioNTech for the supply of a vaccine against COVID-19. The Pfizer BioNTech vaccine was the first approved for use in the world and is seen as a key weapon in the fight against Covid
- United Kingdom
- Government and public sector
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Advised a manufacturer of generic medicines on non-infringement and invalidity of formulation, process and use patents (freedom to operate) and pan-EU product launch strategy in respect of various injectable cancer drugs.
- United Kingdom
- Technology, Science & Industry
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Acted in the first Supplementary Protection Certificate (SPC) case to go to trial in the UK after Brexit relating to the validity of Janssen Pharmaceutica’s SPC for schizophrenia treatment Xeplion (paliperidone palmitate). Also acted in related proceedings for Teva to challenge Janssen’s dosing regime patent for administration of Xeplion.
- United Kingdom
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Acted for Teva on its SPC challenge to Gilead's blockbuster HIV treatment, Truvada. The case was referred to the CJEU in relation to Art. 3(a) of the SPC regulation. Pinsent Masons has been actively supporting the parallel challenges taking place elsewhere in Europe.
- Cross-border
- Technology, Science & Industry
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Represented Teva in the Supreme Court in an appeal by Eli Lilly and ICOS against the finding of invalidity of its dosage regime patent for tadalafil. The Supreme Court upheld the Court of Appeal’s decision, confirming that the patent was obvious and that the decision did not have the alleged wide ranging implications that the result of all routine work could not be patentable.
- United Kingdom
- Technology, Science & Industry
Credentials
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2026Managing IP's Top 250 Women in IP (IPStars)
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2025Managing IP's Top 250 Women in IP (IPStars)
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2023UPC Representative
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2021Managing IP's Top 250 Women in IP (IPStars)
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2017Qualified - Republic of Ireland
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2015Made Partner at Pinsent Masons
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2010Joined Pinsent Masons
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2009Co-founded IPSoc, the society for junior IP practitioners
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2006Qualified - England and Wales
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2006University of Bristol – Post Graduate Diploma in Intellectual Property Law and Practice
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2004College of Law – LPC
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2002University of Kent– LLB (First)
Out-Law / Insight by Charlotte Weekes
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