Dr. Helbig is a qualified German and European Patent Attorney, a European Trademark and Design Attorney as well as a registered Swiss Patent Attorney.
Dr. Helbig joined the neurochemistry department of the Max-Planck-Institute in Martinsried, Germany, after his scientific studies in biochemistry, organic chemistry, genetics and microbiology, to work on his Ph.D. in the field of neurotrophic factors. Thereafter, he gained insight in an industry research organization in the Neuroscience Department of Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, USA, as a postdoctoral fellow.
The approach Dr. Helbig pursues to intellectual property since 1996 reaches back to his classical education as a German Patent Attorney in a well recognized Munich private practice patent firm. After passing the German and European Patent Attorney bar, he joined a mixed prosecution and litigation firm of patent attorneys and attorneys-at-law leading their life science practice group from 2000 to 2006. In this position he learned to appreciate the relevance of well founded patent drafting in the context of German and European inter partes and litigation proceedings. Dr. Helbig's expertise embrases drafting patent applications in German and English, handling world wide prosecution portfolios, leading opposition and appeal proceedings before the German and European Patent Office, nullity actions before the German Federal Patent Court, and giving non-infringement and freedom-to-operate opinions. His technical patent law experience covers NCEs, NBEs, diagnostics, pharmacogenomics, cell lines, their production media and medical devices. Working in mixed teams with attorneys-at-law he was engaged in German and pan-European litigation proceedings as well as in unlawful ownership cases. In addition, Dr. Helbig's professional expertise is enriched by his industry in-house experience which enables him to appreciate the final needs of his clients.
Dr. Helbig is admitted to represent before the European Patent Office, the German Patent and Trademark Office, the German Federal Patent Court as well as before the German Supreme Court in nullity actions and the Swiss Patent Office. He is also a registered agent at the Office for Harmonization for the Internal Markets in Europe.
Dr. Helbig speaks German, English and French.