Christopher Nichols, Ph.D.

Partner

Biography

Christopher has experience with strategic counseling for patent, trademark, and copyright matters including preparation, prosecution, licensing, due diligence, and enforcement.

Christopher counsels clients on intellectual property development, strategy, enforcement, fundraising, and licensing. He also generates and oversees strategic approaches to build global patent portfolios and create value out of IP assets.

Christopher’s patent practice focuses on representation of biotechnology, pharmaceutical, and chemical companies of all sizes, including the preparation and prosecution of US and foreign patent applications; patentability, infringement, and validity due diligence analyses and opinions. He has legal and technical experience with novel proteins and recombinant DNA; iRNA technology; antibody technology; transgenic animals; gene therapy; bioinformatics; genomics; antimicrobial and cancer therapeutics; imaging and diagnostics, including immunoassays and arrays; plant cell and microbial fermentation methods and equipment; plants; vaccines; agricultural technologies, including agrichemicals, fertilizers, pest control, and crops and therapeutic biologics. In addition, Christopher has research experience in neuroscience and physiology.

Christopher represents clients in the areas of trademark counseling and prosecution. He has represented clients in opposition and cancellation proceedings before the U.S. Trademark Trial and Appeal Board.

Prior to joining MMVIP, Dr. Nichols served as General Counsel for a Start-Up, overseeing all of the legal matters for the company, including intellectual property, state and federal regulatory matters, and capital fundraising.

Christopher worked as a NIH Postdoctoral Research Fellow and served as a biotechnology patent examiner in the United States Patent & Trademark Office.

Publications

“How are Diagnostic Methods Handled by the USPTO” Parts I and II Nichols, Peña, and Posorske Intellectual Property & Technology Law Journal (February and March 2018)
“Marking Your Territory in the Patent World: The Basics of Physical vs. Virtual Patent Marking.” Vivarelli, Nichols, and Hosseini Client Alert from the Chemical and Biotech Patent Practice at Hunton & Williams (2018)
“Novartis and Gilead Eviscerate Patent Term Adjustment” Posorske and Nichols Intellectual Property & Technology Law Journal (2016) 28(2)11–15
“Will Patentees Received Patent Term Adjustment After Novartis and Gilead?” Posorske and Nichols Client Alert from the Chemical and Biotech Patent Practice at Hunton & Williams (2015)
“USPTO Begins to Apply Myriad to Pending Patent Applications.” Posorske and Nichols Client Alert from the Chemical and Biotech Patent Practice at Hunton & Williams (2014)
“2012 Eastern District of Virginia Intellectual Property Year in Review.” From Hunton & Williams (2013) Brent Van Normal (editor) and Nichols [contributor]
“New Opportunities for Seeking Patent Term Adjustment Under the AIA.” Posorske and Nichols Client Alert from the Chemical and Biotech Patent Practice at Hunton & Williams (2013)

“New Opportunities for Seeking Patent Term Adjustment Under the AIA.” Posorske and Nichols Client Alert from the Chemical and Biotech Patent Practice at Hunton & Williams (2013)
“Preserving Your Right to Patent Term Adjustment: The Exelixis Decision and Lessons from Wyeth.” Posorske, Nichols, and Vockrodt Client Alert from the Chemical and Biotech Patent Practice at Hunton & Williams (2012)“‘Micro Entity’ Status Benefits are Limited.” Posorske, Suchyta, and Nichols Client Alert from the Chemical and Biotech Patent Practice at Hunton & Williams (2012)
“Merck. v. Integra: Supreme Court Broadly Interprets Safe Harbor Exemption.” Aksman, Messplay, Heisey, and Nichols Client Alert from the Chemical and Biotech Patent Practice at Hunton & Williams (2005)
“Hsp70 dynamics in vivo: effect of heat shock and protein aggregation.” Zeng, Bhasin, Wu, Lee, Maffi, Nichols, Lee, Taylor, Greene, and Eisenberg Journal of Cell Science (2004) 117: 4991–5000
“Two Invariant Tryptophans on the α1 Subunit Define Domains Necessary for GABA_A Receptor Assembly” Srinivasan, Nichols, Lawless, Olsen, and Tobin Journal of Biological Chemistry (1999) 274 (38): 26633–26638