Shannon Lentz

Companies and innovators looking for creative solutions to complex intellectual property issues trust Shannon Lentz to think outside the box. Whether it is looking for ways to challenge or defend existing patents, or procuring new ones, Shannon has helped craft strategies that mitigate risk and maximize return on intellectual property investments.

Shannon helps clients challenge or defend patents in District Courts as well as before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office through post-grant review proceedings. She also advises clients looking to avoid adversarial proceedings while still achieving their business goals.

While Shannon’s practice primarily focuses on pharmaceutical technologies, she has wide-ranging experience in cell and molecular biology, genetics, organic chemistry, pharmaceutical chemistry, polymer chemistry, metallurgy, medical devices, biologics, coatings, adhesives, nanomaterials, research tools, and drug delivery technologies.

Prior to becoming a lawyer, Shannon worked in the Functional Genomics group of the Biological Defense Research Directorate of the Naval Medical Research Center, where she sequenced bacterial and viral genomes using next-generation sequencing technologies.

Representative Matters

• Representing LifeNet Health in a five-patent case against Surgalign (f/k/a RTI Surgical) involving soft tissue grafts and spinal implants, successfully defending LifeNet Health’s patents against IPR petitions filed by Surgalign.
• Represented inventors in a highly contested patent inventorship bench trial in the Central District of California and subsequent appeal to the Federal Circuit involving a pharmaceutical compound.
• Moderna v. CureVac: Represented patent owner CureVac in inter partes review before the PTAB relating to purification of RNA.
  
• Apotex v. Amgen, IPR2016-01542 (PTAB): Represented petitioner Apotex in an inter partes review successfully invalidating a patent relating to Neupogen® and Neulasta®.
• LifeNet Health v. Life Cell Corp., No. 2:13-cv-00486 (E.D. Virginia): Represented plaintiff LifeNet in patent-infringement action involving soft-tissue grafts. Jury awarded LifeNet over $34 million; decision affirmed on appeal. 
• Represented university system in patent license dispute over cancer treatment in which the plaintiff pharmaceutical company sought damages exceeding $200 million. Obtained summary adjudication in favor of client.
• Secured a significant victory (a preliminary injunction against patent infringement through trial) on behalf of Lonza Walkersville, Inc. against Israel-based Adva Biotechnology Ltd. in a case involving point-of-care cell-therapy technology.

Insights