Brett E. Zirkle

Life Sciences & Biotechnology 

Brett advises discovery, preclinical and clinical-stage companies across a broad range of life sciences and biotechnologies — including antibodies, gene therapies, cell therapies, protein-based therapeutics, and single-cell and molecular assay platform technologies — on patent matters to support patent transactional due diligence in connection with financings, acquisitions, licensing, collaborations and partnerships.

Patent Counseling 

An experienced patent agent, Brett helps companies develop patent strategies and portfolios that protect innovation and enable key transactions. Combining a deep understanding of clients’ technology with strategic scientific insight, he works with companies to drive transformation of breakthrough science into patent assets that support growth across all stages.

Representative Experience

Brett’s experience working with life sciences companies and venture capital firms includes developing and implementing patent strategies and patent prosecution for product development, licensing, venture financings and M&A transactions.

Technical Experience

Brett’s areas of technical experience include:

• Biologics
• Antibodies
• Antibody-drug conjugates
• Protein therapeutics
• Peptide therapeutics
• Gene therapies
• Cell therapies
• Molecular and cellular assay technologies

Prior Life Sciences Experience

Before joining Faegre Drinker, Brett worked in the intellectual property and life sciences group of a multinational law firm in its San Diego office. Prior to University of San Diego School of Law, Brett earned his Ph.D. in genetic, molecular and cellular biology at Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, where his doctoral research focused on the structural biology, biochemistry and genomics of immune response proteins, including antibodies and DNA-editing enzymes. Before making the move to Los Angeles, Brett was an Intramural Research Award Fellow at the Vaccine Research Center of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases within the National Institutes of Health, where his research focused on HIV-antibody structural biology and biochemistry. He was also the recipient of a NASA West Virginia Space Grant for research in the field of molecular biology.

Personal Interests

Brett enjoys reading, cooking, making and drinking the best coffee, and spending time with his wife and kids.