Charles E. Lyon, DPhil
Charles Lyon, Chair of Choate’s Intellectual Property Group, counsels investors and life sciences companies on IP diligence, landscape/FTO analyses and IP protection strategies. Through this work, Charles has helped clients understand, evaluate, and respond to IP issues that arise in the context of business transactions or during the research and development of new products and technologies. His insights have helped clients navigate numerous sectors of the life sciences landscape – including immunotherapy, gene therapy, gene editing, and peptide and nucleic acid therapies.
Recognition
- “Intellectual Property Trailblazer,” The National Law Journal
- “Boston Rising Star,” The National Law Journal
- “World’s Leading Patent Practitioner,” IAM Patent 1000 (2014-2024)
- “Patent Star” by Managing Intellectual Property (2014-2024)
- “Litigation Star” by Benchmark Litigation
- Massachusetts Super Lawyers
- Best Lawyers in America (2023-2025)
- Chambers USA (2023-2024)
- The Legal 500 (2022-2024)
- “Up & Coming Lawyer,” Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly
- LMG Life Sciences: “Life Sciences Star”
Representative Engagements
IP Diligence
Hundreds of IP diligence assessments for investors, including the following recent engagements:
- $400 million Series A financing of Kailera Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing a pipeline of next-generation therapies for the treatment of obesity and related conditions.
- $370 million Series A financing of Candid Therapeutics, a privately held biotechnology company developing T-cell engager antibodies to treat autoimmune diseases.
- $200 million Series C financing of ADARx, a clinical stage biotechnology company developing next generation nucleic acid therapeutics.
- $130 million Series A financing of Eyebiotech, a clinical-stage ophthalmology biotechnology company working to deliver a new generation of therapies for eye diseases.
- $120 million Series B financing of Artiva Biotherapeutics, an oncology-focused biopharmaceutical company developing cell therapies based on primary allogeneic natural killer (NK) cells.
- $108 million Series C financing of RayzeBio, a privately held biotechnology company developing a pipeline of targeted radiopharmaceutical drugs for cancer.
Landscape/FTO Analysis
On behalf of investors and life sciences companies across a variety of technologies, including:
- Clinical-stage biopharmaceutical companies in support of AAV and adenoviral based gene therapies including capsids, payloads and manufacturing processes.
- Major biopharmaceutical company in support of acquisition and in-licensing targets developing gene therapies for ocular and neurological diseases.
- Gene editing companies including analyses related to CRISPR editing, epigenetic editing and rewriting technologies.
- Pre-clinical biotechnology companies developing novel immunotherapies for therapeutic applications in oncology, autoimmunity and infectious diseases.
- Clinical-stage biopharmaceutical companies in support of cell therapies in the oncology space.
IP Protection
- Represented pharmaceutical client from start-up phase through acquisition. Built patent portfolio around glucose responsive insulin product for treatment of Type II diabetes. Helped position company for acquisition with potential valuation of over $500 million.
- Prosecuted patent portfolio for several AAV based ocular gene therapy programs that were acquired by biopharma client for $800 million.
- Patent counseling for several pre-clinical biotechnology companies developing novel immunotherapies for therapeutic applications in oncology, autoimmunity and infectious diseases.
- Strategic patent portfolio development for gene therapy companies developing AAV and adenoviral based gene therapy platforms and gene editing company developing CRISPR based editing products.
Professional and Community Involvement
- Member, Boston Patent Law Association
- Member, Boston Bar Association
Education & Credentials
- Boston College Law School
- JD, 2006
- MIT
- Postdoctoral Associate, 2000
- Biophysical Chemistry
- University of Oxford
- DPhil, 1999
- Biophysical Chemistry
- University of Cambridge
- BA, 1996, First Class Honors
- Natural Sciences
Admissions
Massachusetts
U.S. District Court, Massachusetts
U.S. Patent & Trademark Office