A registered patent lawyer, Christopher J. Betti, Ph.D., concentrates his practice on biotechnology and pharmaceutical patent matters with an emphasis on biologics-related patent prosecution and patent litigation. Christopher also devotes a significant portion of his practice to product life-cycle management, intellectual property portfolio management, pre-litigation counseling, due diligence analysis associated with venture capital financing and public offerings, and opinions and strategic advice relating to complex patentability, patent validity, infringement, and freedom-to-operate issues.
Additionally, Christopher regularly counsels innovators and biosimilar applicants in all matters related to the Biologics Price Competition and Innovation Act. He provides US Food and Drug Administration regulatory advice relating to biologics and pharmaceuticals, including advice concerning Orange Book patent listings and patent term extensions. Christopher also assists clients in developing pre-ANDA litigation strategies and defending generic pharmaceutical companies in ANDA litigations.
Christopher represents technology companies in trials before US district courts and in Section 337 investigations in the US International Trade Commission, providing advice and strategic direction for various post grant matters. He also regularly drafts and negotiates intellectual property (IP) license agreements, sponsored research agreements, research collaboration agreements, and joint development agreements. Additionally, Christopher counsels biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies in the commercialization, enforcement, life-cycle management, and monetization of their IP.
Although Christopher’s work spans a multitude of technologies, he has industry-recognized capabilities in both antibodies and cell culture–related technologies. Other technologies with which he has experience include molecular diagnostics, biosimilars/follow-on biologics, DNA/protein sequencing, gene editing, recombinant DNA and genetic engineering, pharmaceutical formulations, optoelectronic readers, bioinformatics, artificial intelligence (AI) driven drug discovery, biologics, small molecules, genomics, food chemistry, medical solutions, metabolic engineering, medical packaging technology, medical devices, diagnostic systems, antibody mimetics, display- and array-based technologies, RNAi, and stem cells.
Prior to joining Morgan Lewis, Christopher was a partner in another international law firm, where he led its biosimilars practice. As a graduate student at Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, he initiated and developed studies establishing that DNA repair operating in conjunction with cell death leads to the formation of chromosome translocations and ultimately cancer. His research further outlined a strategy to combat therapy-induced leukemia. Christopher’s doctoral and postdoctoral research led to the publication of numerous peer-reviewed journal articles, and his findings have been presented both nationally and internationally.
Ranked, Intellectual Property, Illinois, Chambers USA (2023, 2024)
Life Sciences Star, General Patent Litigation, Patent Strategy & Management, LMG Life Sciences Awards Americas (2023)
Life Sciences Star, Intellectual Property, LMG Life Sciences (2020–2022)
Patent Strategy Attorney of the Year – Midwest, LMG Life Sciences (2022)
Shortlisted, Patent Strategy & Management Attorney of the Year – Midwest, LMG Life Sciences (2020, 2021)
Member, Practice Group of the Year, Intellectual Property, Law360 (2019)
Member, Litigation Department of the Year–Intellectual Property, The American Lawyer (2019)
Member, American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA) Biotechnology Committee
Board of Directors, Illinois Biotechnology Industry Organization (2013–2015)