Patents

[LostinLift]

Has anyone here been involved in drug or biotechnology patenting? What has the process been like? Did you start as a student and continue through residency and faculty at the same location? Did you go through your medical school/university before reaching out to private companies/government for funding?

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[Rainbow Zebra]

Has anyone here been involved in drug or biotechnology patenting? What has the process been like? Did you start as a student and continue through residency and faculty at the same location? Did you go through your medical school/university before reaching out to private companies/government for funding?

My brother worked in clinical science department with a hotshot assistant med school professor as a computer programmer in undergrad. Got named on 2 patents, which take a year as pending, then almost another year to get issued (probably helped him get into the same med school too, as the professor was thrilled with the 2 patents). This patent stuff was through the tech transfer office at the University he attended both undergrad and med school, who paid for all the legal work and consulting (not something you just throw together, I guess). Was not cheap either (I think $20K or so in legal fees, but don't know if that was for 1 or both patents).

There is also a start up genetics data mining company that he is associated with that he continues to do CS work (in a different department than his patent work). Got that connection through the tech transfer community at the University. He is an M3 now, and has the patents and CS work and the interest in this startup company on his CV. The CEO of the startup spends 90% of his time trying to fund raise - - it is not easy, and the vulture capitalist want to steal your ideas and company from you. This is not for the faint of heart, and they seem to spend a lot of time with consultants. Your best friends are your law school buddies who have been in practice for a couple of years. They can help you with some of the technicalities (for more than a few options in your enterprise though).