Fenwick’s Down the Gradient

AI in Life Sciences: Patents, Partnerships, and the Business of Innovation

AI is everywhere in life sciences, forcing hard questions about ownership, value, and collaboration.  In this episode of Down the Gradient, Fenwick’s Adine Mitrani and Toney Jacobson sit down with Andrew Whitehead, associate general counsel at Genentech, to discuss:  * The evolving role of AI in the life sciences industry, and what has and hasn’t changed over the last five years  * The realities of securing “meaningful” patent protection for AI-related inventions in life sciences  * Key implications of USPTO Commissioner John Squires’ revised Inventorship Guidance for AI-Assisted Inventions  * What makes a good AI partnership and red flags that might kill a deal

Introducing: Fenwick’s Down the Gradient

Fenwick’s Down the Gradient podcast cuts through the noise around AI to take a thoughtful look at the real decisions shaping the AI ecosystem, one topic at a time. Instead of headlines or hype, we're focused on practical conversations about how AI is actually being developed, governed, and commercialized, from regulation and trust and safety, to investments, exits, and open-source strategy.