Erin M. Foley, Ph.D.

I partner with clients to protect their innovations and develop IP strategies that advance their core business goals.

Erin Foley designs and implements global intellectual property strategies for early-, mid-, and late-stage companies across diverse technology sectors, including gene editing, gene therapy, viral vector engineering, RNA-based therapies, monoclonal antibodies, CAR-T therapies, stem cell therapies, vaccines, antimicrobial therapies, DNA sequencing, and food science. Her practice focuses on devising and implementing global patent and exclusivity strategies, leading IP diligence for both target-side and buyer-side companies and providing patent support in partnership and licensing negotiations.

Leveraging her deep technical expertise, Erin handles all aspects of patent prosecution and strategic patent portfolio management; counsels clients on the scope, validity, and enforceability of patent rights; leads fundraising diligence; and negotiates complex partnership and licensing agreements. Erin works at the intersection of law, business, and science to elevate pre-clinical, clinical-stage, and commercial projects.

As a doctoral student, Erin studied the endocytic clearance of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins by the hepatic heparan sulfate proteoglycan syndecan-1.

Related Industries

Related Practices

Education

Georgetown University Law Center, J.D., 2016
University of California San Diego, Ph.D., Biomedical Sciences, 2012
University of California Los Angeles, B.S, Biochemistry, 2006

Bar and Court Admissions

BAR ADMISSIONS

District of Columbia
California
Massachusetts
U.S. Patent & Trademark Office (Agency)

Experience

Provided IP due diligence counsel to Novartis AG (NYSE: NVS), a global healthcare company, on its $1.4 billion acquisition of Tourmaline Bio, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing pacibekitug, an anti-IL-6 monoclonal antibody, as a treatment option for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD).
Provided IP diligence support to Genmab A/S (NASDAQ: GMAB), an international biotech company specializing in antibody therapeutics for the treatment of cancer and other serious diseases, in its acquisition of Merus for $8B, expanding Genmab’s late-stage pipeline
Directs global patent and exclusivity strategy for blockbuster drug portfolios in the antibody and small molecule spaces on behalf of large pharmaceutical companies.
Partners closely with in-house legal, management, and R&D teams to execute patent strategies that support business objectives and exit strategies.
Conducts deep-dive reviews of global patent portfolios, including mapping claim scope, priority chains, maintenance status, and encumbrances; provides detailed risk analyses.
Guides biotech and pharma clients through freedom-to-operate and validity assessments, coordinating with technical experts to benchmark target IP against competitor landscapes, and evaluating exposure to third-party assertions and ongoing PTAB or opposition proceedings.
Leads comprehensive intellectual property due diligence for buy-side and sell-side transactions, ranging from early-stage technology acquisitions to billion-dollar cross-border deals, ensuring accurate valuation of patent assets.
Negotiates IP provisions in mission-critical license agreements, collaboration arrangements, and joint-development contracts.
Proactively interviews examiners at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to expedite allowance of commercially significant patent applications.
Speaks regularly in various forums to industry leaders regarding U.S. patent law and strategy.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Novartis AG, Senior Patent Attorney

Other Publications

Zaiss, A.K., Foley, E.M., Lawrence, R., Schneider, L.S., Hoveida, H., Secrest, P., Catapang, A.B., Yamaguchi, Y., Alemany, R., Shayakhmetov, D.M., Esko, J.D., Herschman, H.R. Hepatocyte Heparan Sulfate is Required for Adeno-Associated Virus 2 but Dispensable for Adenovirus 5 Liver Transduction In Vivo. Journal of Virology (2015). 90:412-20.
Mooj, H.L., Bernelot Moens, S.J., Gordts, P.L., Stanford, K. I., Foley, E.M., ven den Boogert, M.A., Witjes, J.J., Hassing, H.C., Tanck, M.W., van de Sande, M.A., Levels, J.H., Kastelein, J.J., Stroes, E.S., Dallinga-Thie, G.M., Esko, J.D., Nieuwdorp, M. Ext 1 heterozygosity causes a modest effect on postprandial lipid clearance in humans. Journal of Lipid Research (2015). 56: 665- 73.
Gordts, P.L., Foley, E.M., Lawrence, R., Sinha, R., Lameda-Diaz, C., Deng, L., Nock, R., Glass, C.K., Erbilgin, A., Lusis, A.J., Witztum, J.L., Esko, J.D. Reducing macrophage proteoglycan sulfation increases atherosclerosis and obesity through enhanced type I interferon signaling. Cell Metabolism (2014). 20: 813-26.
Foley, E.M., Gordts, P.L., Stanford, K.I., Gonzales, J.C., Lawrence, R., Stoddard, N., Esko, J.D. Hepatic remnant lipoprotein clearance by heparan sulfate proteoglycans and low-density lipoprotein receptors depend on dietary conditions in mice. Atherosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology (2013). 33(9): 2065-74.
Gonzales, J.C., Gordts, P.L., Foley, E.M., Esko, J.D. Apolipoproteins E and AV mediate lipoprotein clearance by hepatic proteoglycans. The Journal of Clinical Investigation (2013). 123(6): 2742-51.
Deng, Y., Foley, E.M., Gonzales, J.C., Gordts, P.L., Li, Y., and Esko, J.D. Shedding of syndecan-1 from human hepatocytes alters VLDL clearance. Hepatology (2012). 55:277-86.
Foley, E.M., and Esko, J.D. Hepatic heparan sulfate proteoglycans and endocytic clearance of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins. Progress in Molecular Biology and Translational Science (2010). 93: 213-33.
Bishop, J.R., Foley, E., Lawrence, R., and Esko, J.D. Insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus in mice does not alter liver heparan sulfate. The Journal of Biological Chemistry (2010). 285: 14658-62.
Stanford, K.I., Bishop, J.R., Foley, E.M., Gonzales, J.C., Niesman, I.R., Witztum, J.L., and Esko, J.D. Syndecan-1 is the primary heparan sulfate proteoglycan mediating hepatic clearance of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins in mice. The Journal of Clinical Investigation (2009). 119: 3236-45.