Linda B. Huber

My focus

I focus on prosecuting biotechnology and life sciences patents, counseling clients on their patent portfolios and prosecution strategies, conducting due diligence of patent portfolios in corporate transactions and patent license agreements and advising clients on patent related license provisions.

Patent Prosecution

Particular areas I focus on include cancer therapeutics, gastrointestinal diseases, diagnostics, gene therapy, stem cells, inflammatory conditions, neurological diseases, and nutritional products.

Client Counseling

Through my understanding of my clients’ needs and goals, I develop and implement strategies to strengthen, manage and expand their patent portfolios. I also help them understand the implications of licensing terms.

Representative experience

• Represented Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in prosecuting, licensing, and enforcing patent rights on methods of treating irritable bowel syndrome (“IBS”), a chronic condition affecting more than 15% of the general population. Cedars-Sinai doctors invented groundbreaking treatments for IBS, and the NP team helped Cedars-Sinai patent these discoveries and license them to Salix Pharmaceuticals, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Bausch Health Companies Inc. After Actavis Laboratories FL, Inc. sought FDA approval to market a generic competitor drug, NP represented Cedars-Sinai in litigation with its licensees against the infringing generic competitor. That litigation recently was resolved under confidential terms that assure Cedars-Sinai’s patent rights will be protected through their expiration.

Looking ahead

Even with the current jurisprudence on subject matter eligibility, I see that strong patent protection can still be achieved by covering the technology via different angles. Academic institutions and companies, having a strategic patent prosecution plan, should not be deterred from pursuing patent protection for their innovations.

Insights

• “The Microbiome: Opportunities and Strategies for Technology Transfer” AUTM Western Annual Meeting, Newport Beach, CA, September 27, 2023 
• “LA BioStart Bioscience Entrepreneurs Boot Camp,” Intellectual Property section, Nixon Peabody, Los Angeles, CA, July 20, 2023 
• “Patent 101 Education Session,” Patent & Pizza Educational Series at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Webinar, June 2023
• “Legal Essentials for Life Sciences Entrepreneurs: What early-stage founders need to know to scale and safeguard their companies,” Biocom California's Capital Connect: Virtual Investor Roadshow, February 17, 2022
• “Protecting your work at USC: An Intro to Patents,” USC Michelson Center for Convergent Bioscience, Los Angeles, CA, March 8, 2021
• “IP Law Roundtable Discussion,” Graduate Women in Science LA, Across the STEMverse, Los Angeles, CA, February 27, 2021
• “AI in Life Sciences - IP Considerations,” USC Stevens Seminar Series, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, February 19, 2020 and February 20, 2020
• “Future Forum: Space Commercialization,” Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation, January 22, 2020
• “Patent Process,” Patent & Pizza Educational Series at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, May 8, 2018
• “Great Expectations: Managing Faculty and Inventors,” 2017 AUTM Western Region Meeting, Santa Clara, CA, October 12, 2017
• “Patent Basics,” Patent & Pizza Educational Series at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, June 13, 2017
• “US Best Practices in Patent Filing & Prosecution,” Presentation to Imperial Innovations, London, UK, May 16, 2017
• “Cost Strategies for European and U.S. Patent Prosecution,” Biocom Lunch & Learn at Nixon Peabody, Los Angeles, CA, May 1, 2017
• “The New World in US Biotech,” The Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys Webinar, March 2016
• “Biotech Claims Drafting,” The Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys Seminar, London, UK, October 2014
• “License Lessons: Don’t overlook key elements in patent-related licensing agreements,” GC California, Nov./Dec. 2009. (Co-author)