Professional background

Vicky Kosti is a qualified European and Greek Patent Attorney with extensive experience across the private and public sectors. She works with industry, governmental organizations, and academic institutions, contributing to the development and implementation of intellectual property strategies in innovation-driven environments.

She currently serves as Chief Intellectual Property Counsel (Head of IP) at Ascend Advanced Therapies GmbH in Munich, Germany, and as Patent Counsel at Molecular Partners AG in Zurich, Switzerland. Prior to these roles, she worked at Evotec International GmbH in Hamburg, Germany, and held the position of Technology Transfer Officer at the College of Medical & Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, UK.

Vicky began her career in intellectual property in 2003 at the Greek Patent Office, where she spent over 10 years as a Patent Examiner and Patent Information Specialist, gaining deep expertise in patent prosecution, search, and analysis.

In parallel with her core roles, she advises spin-out companies and research organizations on IP strategy and commercialization. She is also a regular speaker and lecturer at conferences and training events across Europe, sharing her insights on a wide range of IP-related topics.

Education

LL.M degree in Intellectual Property Law and Management (CEIPI, University of Strasburg)

MSc in European studies (Athens University of Economics and Business, Greece)

MSc in Biotechnology (Medical School, University Ioannina, Greece)

BSc in Biology (Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece)

Memberships

Vicky is a full member of the European Patent Institute (EPI) Biotechnology and Professional Conduct Committees, a substitute member of the EPI Council and Professional Education Committee, and also serves as an EPI tutor.

Areas of practice include:

·       Drafting, filing and prosecution of national, European and PCT patent applications

·       Preparation of Supplementary Protection Certificate (SPC) dossiers for medicinal products

·        Validation of European patents

·       freedom-to-operate and patentability analysis

·       infringement and validity of intellectual property rights analysis

·       assisting and pleading at oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition

·       prior art searching and analysis

·       general and strategic advice in IP matters, protection and validation

·       portfolio management, advice and strategy

Languages

Vicky, a native Greek speaker, is very fluent in English, has a working knowledge of German and Italian and a basic knowledge of French.

Competences

Vicky’s fields of expertise include life sciences and chemistry and more specifically, biotechnology, molecular biology, cell biology, immunology and biochemical. She has supported projects involving genetically modified plants and animals, stem cells, cell therapy, in vitro cell-based assays, biomarker-based diagnostic methods and tools, pharmaceuticals, dietary supplements, personal care compositions, proteomics, small molecules, peptides, glycoproteins, vaccines, and polymer films.