Jie Zhou

Practice Areas

Dr. Jie Zhou is a partner in Morrison Foerster’s Life Sciences Group. Her practice focuses on patent prosecution and counseling clients in the areas of biotechnology and pharmaceuticals. She has significant experience developing worldwide patent portfolios for companies of all sizes, from start-ups to multinational companies. She also advises clients on IP management and strategic portfolio planning.

Because of her extensive experience in patent prosecution and counseling, as well as her deep knowledge and hands-on experience in bioscience and other technologies, companies often rely on Dr. Zhou for their most difficult and challenging patent work, which involves: developing overall patent strategy to support their business objectives; patent application drafting; and prosecution of high value patent portfolios. Dr. Zhou has successfully obtained patent coverage for many therapeutic candidates that are in early development or in various phases of FDA approval.

Dr. Zhou has significant experience in developing patent strategies and portfolios around breakthrough technologies in a wide spectrum of areas, including biologics (such as therapeutic antibodies, polypeptides, and enzymes), nucleic acids (such as RNAi), small molecule therapeutics, drug formulation technologies, gene therapy, personalized medicine, diagnostics, vaccines, biologics manufacturing processes, nanotechnologies, and nutraceuticals. Her strong scientific background, combined with skills to integrate IP with business objectives, allow Dr. Zhou to provide effective, creative solutions to IP challenges often faced by clients. Her clients include Genentech, Sanofi, Seagen, Alector, ALX Oncology, Allakos, Adverum Biotechnologies, Foundation Medicine, Adagene, Enliven Therapeutics, and Attralus.

Dr. Zhou’s practice also includes IP due diligence review for business transactions, such as venture capital investments, public financings, and mergers and acquisitions. She prepares opinions on patentability, freedom-to-operate, and invalidity, and advises clients on marketing clearance of biologics and pharmaceutical products. She advises IP risks and provides strategic guidance for companies and investors.

Dr. Zhou has been recognized by several publications including the Daily Journal as one of the Top Intellectual Property Attorneys in California.