Ann Viaene, PhD

Ann Viaene holds a Master in Biology (Zoology) from the University of Ghent, Belgium, and a PhD in Sciences (Biotechnology) from the University of Leuven. She combined her research on oesophageal cancer with a position as University Assistant, teaching students at the faculty of Medicine (KUL, Kortrijk branch), Histology. After her PhD she worked in a postdoc position (FWO) at the Laboratory for Thrombosis Research (KUL, Kortrijk branch). During her academic period, she gained broad experience in Life Sciences.

Ann’s career in Intellectual Property started in 1999 in the start-up of Ann De Clercq & Co BVBA afterwards named De Clercq & Partners, where she qualified in 2003 as a European Patent Attorney. In 2004 she moved to industry where she headed the IP Department of Devgen, a spin-off of the University of Ghent and the Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie (VIB), active in Molecular Genetics and Agriculture, and she participated in Devgen’s successful IPO in 2005. After the acquisition of Asian seed companies, she became Head of IP for all Devgen affiliates worldwide, also managing the PVP and trademark portfolios for all seed products in the Asian production and export countries. In R&D, she coordinated within a multicultural team the regulatory and stewardship activities for deregulation of transgenic rice.

In 2012, Ann was part of the Due Diligence team that resulted in the acquisition of Devgen by Syngenta, one of the top 5 Agribusinesses worldwide. In Syngenta, she was responsible for the RNAi patent portfolio and she was the IP Business Partner for Rice Globally. In September 2015, Ann re-joined De Clercq & Partners.

Areas of practice

• Strategic drafting and prosecution of European, PCT and national patent applications worldwide
• Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
• Advice and compliance with Convention on Biologic Diversity (CBD)
• Contract review, negotiation, drafting and advising in IP matters in major transactions and R&D collaborations, and in- and out- licensing
• IP portfolio management, advice and strategy, including managing IP budgets
• IP due diligence during mergers and acquisitions, and integration or carve-out of intellectual property
• Strategic advice related to patents and other intellectual property matters such as trademarks, plant variety protection and trade secrets, for companies involved in discovery, acquisition, developing and commercialization of innovations and products
• In-house support of IP services during replacement or during short or longer leave of Patent Attorneys, IP officers or Legal Officers in R&D transactions

Languages

Ann is a native Dutch speaker and is very fluent in English, fluent in French with working knowledge of German.

Competences

Ann has scientific and patent experience in various fields of biotechnology and related life sciences with working knowledge of chemistry, pharmaceuticals and medical devices. Ann has worked in the field of nucleic acid-based technologies (RNA interference, enabling technologies, …), biochemistry, molecular and cellular biology, diagnostics including nucleic acid- and protein-based screening assays, biomarkers, veterinary products, recombinant microorganisms, genetically modified plants, plant breeding, agrochemicals and pest control.

She further has experience in trademarks, plant variety protection strategies, trade secrets and other related IP tools as well as in legal aspects of intellectual property as in R&D collaborations and licencing. Ann has extended exposure at interacting with and advising business executives as well as scientists active within business’s company.