Alex Magnusdottir

Associate Intellectual Property
Kirkland & Ellis International LLP

London +44 20 7953 2796

Alex Magnusdottir

Overview

Alex Magnusdottir is an associate in Kirkland’s Intellectual Property Litigation Team in London. Alex is experienced in litigation covering a wide range of technical fields, but has a special interest and experience in life sciences patent litigation, particularly in the pharmaceutical industry. With a PhD in Neuroscience, Alex is well placed to advise life sciences clients on their most technical subject matters, and her patent litigation experience covers a broad spectrum of technical subject matters, including those relating to biologics, antibodies, prodrugs, emerging gene therapies, medical devices (cochlear implants) and drug-device combinations. Alex also advises clients in complex global SEP/FRAND disputes between leading companies in the telecommunications industry.

Alex’s litigation matters often cover disputes in multiple jurisdictions, and her experience extends to the coordination of global disputes and pre-litigation readiness at a pan-European scale.

Alex also has a significant non-contentious IP experience, advising on the patent and life sciences regulatory aspects of transactions, as well as the broader intellectual property rights, including trade mark rights.

Since joining Kirkland, Alex has been involved in the following matters:

  • Successfully represented Astellas and The Regents of the University of California in defeating validity challenges brought by multiple generic companies on patents covering the blockbuster medicine Xtandi® (enzalutamide) for treating prostate cancer: [2024] EWHC 2524 (Pat), with a commentator noting that this is a “rare example of a patent being wholly upheld in a pharmaceutical context”.
  • Pfizer v Amgen — Represented Pfizer in relation to UK patent litigation to clear the way for the launch of a major new bispecific antibody cancer treatment Elrexfio® (elranatamab).
  • Panasonic v Xiaomi — Representing Xiaomi in SEP/FRAND litigation against Panasonic.
  • Assisting Advanced Bionics in its European patent disputes (including in the UPC) against MED-EL on cochlear implant technologies.
  • Advising Delta Air Lines in litigation involving claims that Marriott’s Delta Hotels chain infringes Delta’s trademark rights in its famous Delta mark.
  • Advising an innovative biotechnology company in relation to patent issues regarding groundbreaking gene therapy-based treatment.
  • Advised CD&R on patent and healthcare regulatory aspects on its potential partnership with Sanofi to acquire a 50% controlling stake in consumer healthcare champion, Opella.
  • Advised Thoma Bravo and its portfolio company, ConnectWise, in its acquisition of SkyKick.
  • Advising SkyKick (post-acquisition by ConnectWise) in the UK Supreme Court in its well-known trade mark dispute case against Sky.
  • Advised AutoStore in its global patent dispute against Ocado relating to robotic storage technology.
  • Represented Thales against Kigen in a global patent licensing dispute relating to e-Sim technology for mobile phones with case management to allow the Court to decide “FRAND first”.
  • Coordinated European litigation for British American Tobacco in a global patent dispute with Philip Morris on, on patents concerning potentially reduced-risk products including tobacco heating, vaping/e-cigarettes, and modern oral products.
  • Acting for national broadcaster in relation to patent licensing negotiations.

Prior to joining Kirkland, Alex worked on the following matters:

  • Represented a pharmaceutical company in SPC proceedings in the English High Court in relation to SPCs for prodrugs.
  • Represented a pharmaceutical company in invalidity proceedings in the English High Court in relation to a dosing regimen patent.
  • Acted for a multinational pharmaceutical company in product lifecycle management and coordination of global litigation in relation to a biologic product and med-tech patents.
  • Represented a medical device company in patent infringement proceedings in the Intellectual Property Enterprise Court in relation to mechanical ventilator technology.

Bristows LLP, London

  • Trainee Solicitor (2020–2022)
Recognised on the Pro Bono Recognition List of England & Wales in 2024.

More

Thought Leadership

Publications

"Harmonisation of disclosure requirements and consequences of non-compliance” AIPPI UK Study Group, 2024 (Highly Commended)

"A new method for segmentation and analysis of bone callus in rodent fracture models using micro-CT", Journal of Orthopaedic Research, 2022

"Fracture-induced pain-like behaviours in a femoral fracture mouse model", Osteoporosis International, 2021

"Osteoarthritis-related nociceptive behaviour following mechanical joint loading correlates with cartilage damage", Osteoarthritis and Cartilage, 2020

"In vivo characterization of distinct modality-specific subsets of somatosensory neurons using GCaMP", Science Advances, 2016

"Reversal of thermal and mechanical allodynia with pregabalin in a mouse model of oxaliplatin-induced peripheral neuropathy", Scandinavian Journal of Pain, 2016

Memberships & Affiliations

International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property (AIPPI)

CHIPs

The Society for Junior Intellectual Property Practitioners (IPSoc)

Credentials

Admissions & Qualifications

  • 2022, Admitted to practice as a Solicitor of England and Wales

Languages

  • English
  • Icelandic

Education

  • University of OxfordPostgraduate Diploma in Intellectual Property Law and Practice2023
  • BPP University, LondonLegal Practice Course2020
  • BPP University, LondonGraduate Diploma in Law2019
  • Royal Veterinary CollegePh.D., Neuroscience2019
    Marie Curie Fellow, 2015–2018
  • University College LondonM.Sc., Neuroscience2015
  • University of AkureyriB.A., Psychology2014