"The Intellectual Property Pyramid(c) Assessment: A Novel Method for Creating a Sustainable Competitive Advantage," is a new, easy-to-follow workbook that addresses all of the questions and necessary actions inherent in developing comprehensive IP strategies, assessing the strength of existing IP portfolios, and creating a significant competitive advantage.
Entrepreneurs hoping to convert a life sciences idea into a marketable, profitable product may not fully appreciate the importance of establishing a comprehensive IP strategy to stake out their market position and attract needed capital.
"Patents represent only one part of a company's IP," said Alan West, Co-Author and Executive-in-Residence at the Pittsburgh Life Sciences Greenhouse (PLSG), "IP also includes trade secrets, processing methods, manufacturing fixtures, copyrights, and industrial layouts and designs, along with plans to respond to shifting market dynamics, pricing pressures, new technologies, expiring patents, and emerging companies."
For senior management in established organizations, a comprehensive IP strategy communicates a company's current and future plans to assure its competitive advantage. "An IP assessment is like a business plan," said Jim Jordan, Co-Author, PLSG's President and CEO. "A comprehensive IP strategy communicates to stockholders, business partners, and employees the company's current and future plans to maintain and expand its competitive advantage in the marketplace."
This IP workbook can assist patent attorneys in drafting more comprehensive and focused patents, ensuring adequate protection while also saving the company money. Creating a comprehensive IP strategy is much more than a simple listing of patents. This IP workbook breaks down the development process in a way that matches pertinent market information with stages of technical progression of the life sciences concept so that you can easily identify the product features that need to be covered by either patent claims or trade secrets.
The IP workbook matches pertinent market information with stages of technical progression of the life sciences concept, while offering detailed instruction on:
Protecting a company's products or services;
Selling or licensing patent rights to generate cash;
Creating bargaining chips to use with competitors; and
Obtaining a monopoly for future exploitation.
Developing and providing access to research and educational tools, such as The IP Pyramid(c) Workbook, is an important part of The Pittsburgh Life Sciences Greenhouse (PLSG) mission in supporting the life sciences community.
Author Biography:
President and Chief Executive Officer Pittsburgh Life Sciences Greenhouse (PLSG); Managing Director, PLSG Accelerator Fund Jim Jordan, an accomplished Fortune 20-level executive and recognized expert in translational innovation, market development and guiding the successful formation of entrepreneurial startup businesses, joined the Pittsburgh Life Sciences Greenhouse (PLSG) in 2005, and was named President and Chief Executive Officer in 2016. Prior to joining the PLSG, Jordan served as Senior Vice President of a $3.0 billion division of McKesson Corporation, and as a Vice President for Marketing at Johnson & Johnson. He has held a range of management positions in sales and marketing, operations, supply chain management, information technology, finance and quality assurance with several Fortune 500 medical device companies including C.R. Bard, Inc. and Boston Scientific, Inc. Jordan has leveraged this experience in several startup ventures and is active on several Boards of Directors, including the Pittsburgh Venture Capital Association. Jordan joined Carnegie Mellon University's Heinz College in 2005 and serves as the Sr. Director and Distinguished Service Professor of Health Care and Biotechnology Programs, and also as Strategic Board Chairman-Center for Healthcare Innovation. He holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration from Merrimack College and a Master's degree in Business Administration from Boston University. Jordan authored a university text book titled "Innovation, Commercialization, and Start-Ups in Life Sciences" published by CRC Press in 2015. Executive in Residence, Pittsburgh Life Sciences Greenhouse Alan West joined the Pittsburgh Life Sciences Greenhouse (PLSG) in 2017 as a Resident Entrepreneur following a successful career as CEO of Carmell Therapeutics. He served as an EIR at PLSG from 2005 to 2009, working with over 40 entrepreneurs and start-ups. He has more than 25 years of experience in managing medical device start-up companies with a track record that includes Johnson & Johnson, Advanced Mechanical Technologies, Boston Scientific Corporation, Vision Sciences Inc., and Assurance Medical Inc. He was V.P. of R&D at Boston Scientific prior to their successful IPO, has a broad technical and business background, and has developed and marketed products in the radiology, cardiology, vascular surgery, dermatology, neurosurgery, gastroenterology, oncology, general surgery, sports medicine and orthopedic markets. In his career, he has raised more than $50M through private and public offerings and holds numerous patents. Mr. West also gained experience in technology-based economic development, company commercialization and incubator management at the Michigan Tech SmartZone, where he was the founding CEO. Mr. West holds numerous patents and has published articles in scientific, medical, and history journals. Additionally, he has written medical textbook chapters and in 2011 published a historical account of a Civil War Hospital Steward. He holds a Bachelor's in Mechanical Engineering degree from Brown University and a Master's in Design from Tufts. Investment Manager, Pittsburgh Life Sciences Greenhouse (PLSG) Marissa Kuzirian joined the Pittsburgh Life Sciences Greenhouse (PLSG) in 2017 as an Executive Associate following an NIH-funded postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Pittsburgh. As an Investment Manager, she evaluates investments in pharmaceuticals and healthcare IT and provides strategic support to companies in the early stages of development. Kuzirian brings a strong background in neuroscience and entrepreneurship to her work at PLSG. Prior to joining PLSG, she was Vice President of Business Development at Fourth River Solutions, a non-profit consulting group. She also worked as a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Pittsburgh. Her doctoral work focused on the molecular and cellular mechanisms of synapse development and the implication of perturbations in synapse function in diseases such as autism spectrum disorders and epilepsy. Kuzirian earned her Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Brandeis University and BA in Neuroscience from Kenyon College.
