Dr. Michael J. DeGrazia focuses his patent practice on chemical, pharmaceutical, and biotechnologies, with particular emphasis on small molecule drugs. Michael assists clients in the protection and development of their IP assets through the drafting, filing, and prosecution of U.S. and foreign patent applications; global portfolio strategy and management; freedom-to operate (FTO) assessments; patentability and infringement analyses; competitive landscape investigations; patent issues related to licensing, acquisition, and financing such as initial public offerings (IPO); and strategic counseling.
Michael is well versed in life cycle management and patent term extension. His technical experience most notably includes new chemical entities, compositions/formulations, dispersions, polymorphs, processes, patient stratifications, new medical uses, and clinical trial data protection/inclusion.
In addition to counseling and prosecution, he also has experience in patent litigation, in particular Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) cases arising under the Hatch-Waxman Act and post-grant proceedings. Michael’s clients include small and large companies, academic institutions, and individual inventors. Their technologies span from investigatory and those undergoing clinical review to post-market approval and billion-dollar biotech and molecular drug products.
Michael earned his PhD in organic chemistry from the Penn State University where he studied the synthesis of fluorescently labeled small molecules for high-throughput screening and control of intracellular pathways. Prior to graduate work, he also investigated new coupling routes for modification of the anticancer drug paclitaxel (Taxol®).
Professional Recognition
- Oral Advocate and Distinguished Brief Award (Suffolk Law School)
- Research award for accomplishments in organic chemistry (Penn State University)
- Dan H. Waugh Memorial Teaching Award (Penn State University)
- Geiger Fellowship (Penn State University)
- Louis A. Reber Memorial Research Award (Penn State University)
- American Institute of Chemists Award (University of the Sciences)
