Biotechnology/Life Sciences
Stites and Harbison's Biotechnology/Life Sciences Law Group includes highly experienced and dedicated attorneys focused on intellectual property protection of all aspects of biotechnology and life sciences. These include genetic engineering, immunology, monoclonal antibodies, medical devices, diagnostics, therapeutics, genetic markers, and pharmaceuticals.
The Intellectual Property (IP) members of the Biotechnology/Life Sciences Law Group have extensive backgrounds in biotechnology and related fields, including work in research laboratories, experience with Patent Examination for the USPTO, and advanced degrees, and/or technical experience in fields such as microbiology and immunology, biology, and pharmacology and cell biophysics.
The Biotechnology/Life Sciences Law Group represents a full range of clients in the biotechnological arts, ranging from major companies and universities through a number of smaller start-up businesses.
In addition to patent prosecution, the Biotechnology/Life Sciences group counsels clients on all matters relating to domestic and international intellectual property issues. This includes issues relating to infringement, validity, and freedom to operate. Our group also has deep experience in litigation, and has handled cases involving biotechnological inventions in both federal and state courts.
Stites & Harbison distinguishes itself by having ongoing relationships with intellectual property firms throughout the world. This gives our clients access to highly skilled international intellectual property counsel wherever and whenever needed.
In addition to offices in the major Southeastern cities of Atlanta, Lexington, Louisville, and Nashville, our strategically located office in Alexandria, Virginia, allows Stites & Harbison attorneys to have in-person visits with Patent Examiners at the United States Patent & Trademark Office to discuss cases and advance our clients' positions.
Examples of recent biotechnology/life sciences patents issued with Stites & Harbison patent attorneys as counsel include the following:
- 11,326,138 - Cell culture device and methods of use thereof
- 11,325,901 - Prostaglandin E synthase inhibitors and methods for utilizing the same
- 11,324,743 - Treatment for the non alcoholic steatohepatitis and fibrosis
- 11,319,304 - Pyridine quinoline compounds as MGLUR4 allosteric potentiators, compositions, and methods of treating neurological dysfunction
- 11,318,137 - Quinazoline compounds as modulators of Ras signaling
- 11,311,600 - Methods for treating obesity
- 11,311,563 - Method and composition for preventing and treating viral infections
- 11,306,069 - Benzimidazole derivatives as dual histamine H1 and histamine H4 receptor ligands
- 11,305,039 - Polymeric vascular grafts which induce neovascularization with mild to minimal inflammation and promotion of fibrovascular tissue
- 11,286,464 - Viral vaccines and methods of forming the same
- 11,285,133 - 2- or 3-imidazolines as carbapenemases inhibitors
- 11,273,210 - Arginine deiminase encapsulated inside erythrocytes and their use in treating cancer and arginase-1 deficiency
- 11,266,614 - Oral formulations of belinostat
- 11,261,166 - Lipophilic macrocyclic ligands, complexes thereof, and uses of same
- 11,248,038 - Molecular-size of elastin-like polypeptide delivery system for therapeutics modulates intrarenal deposition and bioavailability
- 11,242,342 - Isoquinoline amine compounds as mGlu
- 11,236,303 - CD34.sup.+CD41.sup.DIM megakaryocytes progenitors and uses thereof for producing proplatelet-bearing MKs and/or platelets
- 11,230,714 - Gene silencing kills emerald ash borer, an exotic, invasive tree-killing insect
- 11,225,481 - Xanthine derivative inhibitors of BET proteins
- 11,224,609 - Mithramycin derivatives having increased selectivity and anti-cancer activity
- 11,220,528 - Compositions and methods for treating pulmonary hypertension
- 11,219,623 - Inflammasome inhibition for the treatment of Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease and multiple sclerosis
Biotechnology/Life Sciences is part of Stites & Harbison's larger, Intellectual Property and Technology (IPT) group, which includes more than 20 attorneys – many of whom are Registered U.S. Patent Attorneys – with experience spanning all technical disciplines. Our IPT group uses a team approach to provide clients with comprehensive intellectual property services. Our attorneys practice throughout the nation and the world in the areas of patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, licensing, computer software, e-commerce and intellectual property litigation.
Managing IP Selects Mandy Wilson Decker to 2022 “Top 250 Women in IP” List for Eighth Time
LOUISVILLE, Ky.—Managing Intellectual Property (Managing IP) magazine recently selected Stites & Harbison, PLLC attorney Mandy Wilson Decker to the 2022 edition of Managing IP’s “Top 250 Women in IP.” This is the eighth time Decker has been honored on this list, and she is the only attorney honored from Kentucky.
Stites & Harbison Named to 2022 Top 10 Patent Firms in North America – South List
LOUISVILLE, Ky.—The Patent Lawyer Magazine has named Stites & Harbison, PLLC to the 2022 Top 10 Patent Firms and IP Practices in North America – South list.
Wait . . . What About Trade Secrets?
When one seeks to protect one’s intellectual property, patents, trademarks and copyrights immediately come to mind. Often given short shrift is the "forgotten stepchild" —trade secrets. Trade secrets may encompass a wide range of business information that (a) has value because it is not generally known in the trade and (b) is subject to reasonable efforts to preserve its confidentiality. When considering trade secrets, “business information” should be given a very broad definition and may include, but is not necessarily limited to, processes, procedures, research projects, nonpublic company documents (relating to, for example, recruiting, accounting, financial information and legal information), drawings, blueprints, laboratory notebooks, test data, training manuals, customer information and supplier information.
Recent Patent Program Updates by the United States Patent and Trademark Office
USPTO Launches New Pilot Program to Improve Efficiency of Utility Patent Application Examination. In response to concerns expressed by way of a letter sent from Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Tom Cotton (R-AR), the United States Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”) has launched a “Deferred Subject Matter Eligibility Response (DSMER) Pilot Program” for non-provisional patent applications.
Defendants Caught Red-Handed in Patent Infringement Case Get Five Months of Damages Wiped Out for Patentee’s Failure to Mark Its Products
In early September of 2021, the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit clarified the notice requirement of 35 U.S.C. § 287. Patentee’s seeking to recover damages on unmarked goods must ensure their notice to a potential infringer is an actual notice of infringement and not merely notice of a patent.
USPTO Issues Final Rule for Implementation of the Trademark Modernization Act of 2020
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) recently published a final rule implementing the Trademark Modernization Act of 2020 (TMA). The TMA amends the federal trademark statute (Lanham Act) in several ways, but the most significant aspect for the business community is the establishment of new ex parte expungement and reexamination proceedings for cancellation of a registration when the required use in commerce has not been made.
Stites & Harbison Welcomes Samuel Raque
NASHVILLE, Tenn.—Stites & Harbison, PLLC welcomes attorney Samuel A. Raque to the firm’s Nashville, Tenn., office. He joins the Intellectual Property & Technology Service Group as a Registered Patent Attorney.
Supreme Court Provides Additional Guidance on Assignor Estoppel in Patent Litigation
Assignor estoppel is an equity-based doctrine that can be invoked during the course of patent litigation to prevent an assignor, after assigning their interests to a patent to another, from later asserting that the patent is actually invalid.