Dr. Julie Meigs has over 20 years of intellectual property experience in life sciences after beginning her career as a research scientist. 

Dr. Meigs advises clients on a wide-range of IP issues, including global patent portfolio strategy, freedom-to-operate, patent invalidity, licensing, and strategic partnerships. Dr. Meigs regularly assists venture firms and other financiers in IP due diligence for potential assets and investments, and she also guides growth stage companies in IP strategy to support successful financing rounds.

Clients value Dr. Meigs’ pragmatic leadership style and creative problem solving.  

Dr. Meigs has specific technical experience in the areas of oncology, immunology, neuroscience, infectious disease, biologics, antibodies, vaccines, diagnostics, gene editing and genomics, stem cell biology and agricultural biotechnology.

Dr. Meigs serves on the Board and the Executive Team of the North Carolina Biosciences Organization (NCBIO), the trade association for North Carolina’s life sciences industry.

Publications

  • Recent Legal Publications & Presentations:
    • Moore, J. and Meigs, J., “Leveraging Orphan Drug Designation and Patent Protection for Increased Investment,” IP WatchDog, Jan 2020.
  • Research Papers:
    • Broadus J., et al. (1999) The Drosophila bFTZ-F1 orphan nuclear receptor provides competence for stage-specific responses to the steroid hormone ecdysone. Molecular Cell 3:143-149.
    • Broadus J., et al. (1998) Staufen-dependent localization of prospero mRNA contributes to neuroblast daughter-cell fate. Nature 391:792-795.
    • Broadus J. & Doe C.Q. (1997) Extrinsic cues, intrinsic cues, and microfilaments regulate asymmetric protein localization in Drosophila neuroblasts. Current Biology 7:827-835.
    • Broadus J., et al. (1995) New neuroblast markers and the origin of the aCC/pCC neurons in the Drosophila central nervous system. Mechanisms of Development 54:1-10.
    • Broadus J. & Doe C.Q. (1995) Evolution of neuroblast identity: seven-up and prospero expression reveal homologous and divergent cell fates in Drosophila and Schistocerca. Development 121:3989-3996.
    • Hawrylak N., Ghosh P., Broadus J., Lauterbur P.C. & Greenough W.T. (1993) Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) imaging of iron oxide-labeled neural transplants. Experimental Neurology 121:181-192.
  • Reviews:
    • Fuerstenberg S., Broadus J. & Doe C.Q. (1998) Asymmetry and cell fate in the Drosophila embryonic CNS. International Journal of Developmental Biology 42(3):143-149.
  • Book Chapters:
    • Broadus J. & Spana E.P. (1999) Asymmetric divisions and cell fate specification in the Drosophila central nervous system. In Cell Fate and Lineage Determination, S.A. Moody, Editor. 1999, Academic Press: San Diego. pp. 273-285.
  • Published Patent Applications:
    • Broadus J., et al. Insect nuclear receptor genes and uses thereof, PCT International Publication No. WO 02/077157.
    • Broadus J., et al., Nucleic acid sequences from Drosophila melanogaster that encode proteins essential for larval viability and uses thereof, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20020160934

Professional and Civic Activities

  • North Carolina Biosciences Organization (NCBIO, Board of Directors and Executive Committee)
  • American Intellectual Property Law Association
  • North Carolina Bar Association
  • Judge for BIO Start Up Stadium Competition
     

Experience

Any result the lawyer or law firm may have achieved on behalf of clients in other matters does not necessarily indicate similar results can be obtained for other clients.

  • Developed worldwide patent portfolio that supported acquisition of a life sciences startup by big pharma in a deal totaling nearly $10 billion USD
  • Representing life sciences/pharmaceutical companies and universities to develop IP strategy and patent portfolios for various technologies, particularly biologics for treating disease and infection, including antibodies, therapeutic proteins, RNAi, and cellular therapies 
  • Representing global diagnostics company to develop patent portfolio for clinical tests to assess high-risk medical conditions, such as kidney injury and sepsis
  • IP due diligence for life sciences/pharmaceutical companies and venture firms to support financing, acquisitions, and strategic partnerships
  • Pre-litigation diligence for clinical stage companies to ensure readiness for possible litigation upon market entry