Mary Anthony Merchant, Ph.D., is the leader of the biotechnology practice team in the firm's Patents Group and a member of the group's chemical, pharmaceutical, and medical device technology teams. Dr. Merchant's graduate and post-graduate research involved both mammalian and plant molecular biology, protein biochemistry, immunology, microbiology, and infectious disease. She focuses her practice on intellectual property law, including trademark registration and patent procurement, with an emphasis on the life sciences, including the biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, agricultural, cosmetics, consumer products, nutraceuticals, and medical-device fields.
Dr. Merchant's experience encompasses patent prosecution, litigation, post-issuance reissue and reexamination, licensing, due diligence, and opinions. She provides intellectual property counsel to a variety of clients, including multinational corporations, mid-cap companies, and start-up biotech and medical-device companies. Dr. Merchant also provides counsel related to issues involving regulatory matters before the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. She works with emerging-growth companies, both domestically and internationally, and has handled financial transactions involving initial public offerings, sales and procurements of assets, and mergers and acquisitions.