FTO Study: Neuro Degenerative Diseases (“NDD”)

Responsible for Freedom to Operate FTO study for client start-up focused on NDD. Identified and evaluated over 100 patents/applications to assess overlap with client’s IP portfolio. We identified two earlier filed patent families, with one entity based in Hong Kong and the other in Finland. Based on our review of these two families, we advised the client of the potential risks and possible negotiation strategies.

Michael McGurk

Mike McGurk has more than 30 years of experience in virtually all aspects of patent law. Working with clients ranging from small start-ups to large Fortune 100 companies, he provides counsel in due diligence matters, global portfolio development and adversarial proceedings, including litigation, post-grant reviews, interferences and re-examinations. Mike works primarily with pharmaceutical, chemical, medical device and mechanical technology businesses. For at least the last fifteen (15) years, approximately 50-70% of Mike’s work has been focused in life sciences, including ANDA litigation support and pre-filing due diligence. Mike’s practice is informed by his background as a patent examiner in the chemical arts for the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), as a litigator for ten years, and as an expert in due diligence matters. He regularly provides strategic litigation counseling support to clients across the nation, and has handled numerous patent matters before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board of the USPTO. His extensive due diligence experience includes pre-litigation, acquisition, in-license, freedom-to-operate product and/or process clearance, design around, validity and patentability matters. Mike works with teams having the appropriate technical and legal abilities.