Photo of Lawrence Frank

Lawrence Frank

Subscribe to Lawrence Frank's Posts

Lawrence Frank has over fifteen years’ experience practicing patent law in the life sciences.  He applies his scientific training in biochemistry and molecular biology to obtain patent protection for innovators in biotechnology, pharmaceuticals and related fields, and also to advise clients on patent noninfringement and invalidity and in due diligence.  He also applies his knowledge and experience in support of litigation relating to biologics and Orange Book-listed drugs.

Prior to joining Proskauer, Mr. Frank practiced for over ten years at a well-known intellectual property law firm and later formed and ran his own patent law firm with several colleagues.

Contact:Read more about Lawrence Frank

The U.S. Supreme Court on May 18, 2023 delivered its decision on the scope of the patent enablement requirement, set forth in 35 U.S.C. § 112, in the antibody dispute Amgen, Inc. v. Sanofi. While the parties obtained finality, many in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries received the opinion under a cloud of uncertainty and concern for exclusivity rights broad enough to both protect clinical candidates and deter competitors. While the patent bar may remain apprehensive, the Supreme Court kept the door open to genus claims.  The impact of the decision may not be as far-reaching as feared.
Continue Reading The Supreme Court Kept the Door Open to Genus Claims

The Federal Circuit recently reversed a jury verdict and billion-dollar judgment in favor of Juno Therapeutics on the grounds that the asserted claims did not satisfy the written description requirement of 35 U.S.C. § 112. See Juno Therapeutics, Inv. v. Kite Pharma, Inc.. This case further builds on the application of the written description requirement to claims that recite functional limitations, and is instructive to patent prosecutors.
Continue Reading Juno v. Kite: Written Description and Claiming Antibodies and Chimeric Antigen Receptors—Lessons for Patent Prosecutors

In the recent case of Amgen Inc. v. Sanofi, Aventisub LLC, the Federal Circuit affirmed the district court’s invalidation of certain of Amgen’s antibody patent claims, concluding that the claims were not “enable[d]” under 35 U.S.C. § 112. This decision establishes that it is more difficult to satisfy the enablement requirement for antibody claims that use functional language to describe the antibody. (The court granted Amgen’s motion to extend the deadline for filing a petition for panel rehearing and/or rehearing en banc until April 14, 2021. See id., Order (March 8, 2021).)
Continue Reading CAFC Tightens Enablement Standard for Functional Claiming of Antibodies