Overview

Our globally recognized animal health and genetics team offers a full range of IP and regulatory services to participants in this quickly-evolving sector, serving as trusted partners throughout the entire life cycle of their innovations – from strategic planning to development, due diligence, design, prosecution, licensing, commercialization and enforcement.

McKee, Voorhees & Sease advises and represents universities and businesses worldwide in matters involving cattle, swine, and poultry, among others. On the university side, we guide clients through translating bench research into marketable products that generate long-term growth. Our corporate clients range from startups to Fortune 500 companies, who rely on our deep knowledge and in-house experience to protect, manage, and enforce their most valuable assets.

Our group is well-versed in the latest technologies and industry trends, including but not limited to gene editing, CRISPR, disease treatment, controlled release delivery systems, vaccines for viruses such as PEDV and TGEV, antigenic determinants, biodevices, and immunogenic compositions. Many lawyers on our team hold advanced scientific degrees, enabling them to grasp the nuances of even the most technical discoveries.

The Firm’s services extend beyond the traditional IP toolkit to strategic business consulting. For companies without a dedicated legal team, we serve as virtual in-house counsel, advising on business strategy including risk management, patent prosecution, regulatory, and licensing issues to help bring products to market. We have successfully led startups through the complex acquisition process, utilizing our experience as in-house counsel at leading global agricultural companies to position clients for profitable growth.

As Midwest natives, agriculture is ingrained in our DNA and a part of our daily lives, giving us a personal investment in the relationships we enjoy with our animal health clients. We are frequent contributors to industry organizations such as the Association of University Technology Managers (AUTM), CRISPRcon, The Iowa Biotechnology Association, and the Iowa Agritech Accelerator, and have earned trust and recognition from sector participants across worldwide. In addition, we regularly leverage our robust networks to connect clients and industry leaders within the animal health space to promote industry advancements and client business development.

Services include:

• Patentability search and opinions
• Freedom-to-operate analysis and opinions
• Due diligence for mergers and acquisitions
• Portfolio planning and management
• Invention disclosure vetting and analysis
• Patent procurement in U.S. and foreign jurisdictions
• Competitive landscape audit
• License agreement drafting and negotiation
• Litigation enforcement and defense
• Patent and trademark infringement
• Trademark protection and counseling
• Regulatory counsel
• Compliance
• Regulatory permits, approvals, marketing authorization in U.S. and foreign jurisdictions
• FDA approvals and product definition
• Stewardship plans
• Stakeholder engagements
• GMP (good manufacturing practices)
• GLP (good laboratory practices)
• Reporting requirements

Experience

• Prepared and prosecuted U.S. patent number 9,434,922 B2, FEEDER-FREE METHOD FOR CULTURE OF BOVINE AND PORCINE SPERMATOGONIAL STEM CELLS, for Washington State University.
• Prepared and prosecuted U.S. patent number 8,142,816 B2, METHODS OF ENHANCING THE QUALITY NUTRITIVE AND HEALTH VALUES OF MEAT FROM BOVINE, for Simon J. Timmermans.
• Prepared and prosecuted U.S. patent number 8,241,847 B2, IDENTIFICATION OF PROTECTIVE ANTIGENIC DETERMINATIONS OF PORCINE REPRODUCTIVE AND RESPIRATORY SYNDROME VIRUS AND USES THEREOF, for Iowa State University Research Foundation, Inc.