Desmarais
Michael E. Furrow Ph.D.

Michael E. Furrow Ph.D.

Of Counsel, New York
PHONE: 212-490-4056 FAX: 212-351-3401
mfurrow@desmaraisllp.com
Dr. Michael Furrow is a former medicinal chemist and current patent litigator.  He counsels life sciences innovators on all aspects of patent and related regulatory strategy from the early discovery stages through product launch and evolution. His clients range from nascent startups to venerable global biopharma companies. With a focus on disputes, Michael has handled patent actions in federal courts and before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office concerning more than a dozen small molecule drugs, as well as antibody medicines, genetically modified organisms, and various other laboratory tools and techniques. His background as a chemist affords him an intimate understanding of the challenges innate to the discovery and commercialization of new medicines, and clients value his resulting drive to help them explore creative ways to maximize market exclusivities.
 
Combining his technical prowess with his litigation mindset, Michael is known for exhaustively exploring the facts and pushing the envelope on merits strategy. He engages with the technology at a level that permits him to develop strong relationships with inventors, scientific officers, technical experts and, ultimately, translate the discovery story for the fact-finder.
 
Michael has authored several peer-reviewed scientific articles in preeminent chemistry journals concerning novel stereoselective synthetic, bond-forming, and redox methods for use in the synthesis of complex molecules and was the recipient of research grants from the American Chemical Society and National Science Foundation. He also briefly worked as a bench chemist conducting drug discovery at a leading pharmaceutical company that focuses on therapies for viral infections and liver diseases. He is listed in the 2021 and 2022 editions of IAM Strategy 300: The World’s Leading IP Strategists , has been recognized repeatedly in the New York Metro edition of Super Lawyers magazine, and is a regular author for LexisNexis Practical Guidance® and other topical publications.

Court Admissions 

  • United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
  • United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York
  • United States District Court for the Southern District of New York
 

Memberships & Affiliations 

  • New York Intellectual Property Law Association, Member
  • Federal Circuit Bar Association, Member

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Representative Matters

  • Counseled a pre-commercial biotechnology company on portfolio strategy and development partnerships in the protein sequencing space.
  • Represented a pharmaceutical company in Hatch-Waxman litigations concerning a drug for early onset childhood epilepsy.
  • Represented a pharmaceutical company in Hatch-Waxman litigations concerning a drug for treatment of opioid-induced constipation.
  • Counseled a pre-commercial biopharmaceutical company on portfolio strategy and development partnerships in the antiviral and anticancer spaces.
  • Represented two major pharmaceutical companies and a university in Hatch-Waxman litigations concerning a blockbuster prostate cancer drug.
  • Represented a leading research university in connection with various adversarial patent actions in the DNA sequencing space.
  • Represented a major biopharma company in Hatch-Waxman litigations concerning a drug for a rare metabolic disease.
  • Counseled a major pharmaceutical company on patent infringement exposure prior to launch of a now-blockbuster cancer drug.
  • Represented two major life sciences companies and a leading research institute in Hatch-Waxman litigations concerning a blockbuster antibiotic drug.
  • Counseled a major pharmaceutical company in connection with potential acquisition of a patent portfolio covering an ovarian cancer drug.
  • Represented a major biotechnology company in litigation concerning genetically modified animals useful for identifying antibody therapies.
  • Counseled a major life science company on scientific experiments to support a citizen petition to the Food and Drug Administration seeking heightened standards for demonstrating bioequivalence to reference antibiotic drug.
  • Represented two major pharmaceutical companies in Hatch-Waxman litigations concerning a blockbuster drug product for GI disorders.
  • Represented a major biopharma company in a series of reexaminations of patents concerning a blockbuster antithrombotic drug.
  • Represented a major biotechnology company in Hatch-Waxman litigations concerning a hyperparathyroidism drug.
  • Counseled multiple major pharmaceutical companies in connection with potential acquisitions of other life science assets.
  • Represented a major pharmaceutical company and a university in multiple Hatch-Waxman litigations concerning a portfolio of blockbuster antiviral drugs.

EDUCATION

Harvard University, J.D., 2007
 
Harvard University, Ph.D., Chemistry, 2004; National Science Foundation Fellow
 
Harvard College, A.B., Chemistry, 1999, summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, American Chemical Society Research Grantee
 

ADMISSIONS

2008, New York

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