Richard T. “Rick” Timmer, PhD

Senior Patent Agent

Education

Ph.D. in Biochemistry, The University of Texas at Austin
M.A. in Chemistry, The University of Texas at Austin
B.A. in Chemistry, Macalester College

Admissions

U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

Certifications and Registrations

Registered Patent Agent

Memberships and Affiliations

American Chemical Society (ACS): Member
American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA): Member
Atlanta Bar: Affiliate Member, IP Section Affiliate Member
Association of University Technology Managers (AUTM): Member

Dissertations and Theses

Ph.D. Dissertation: The Mechanism of Action of Eukaryotic Protein Synthesis Initiation Factors: I. Comparison of the Factors Required for Translation of α- and β-hemoglobin mRNAs; II. Determination of the Amounts of Factors Bound to 40 S Ribosomal Subunits.

M.A. Thesis: In Vitro Rat Liver Mitochondrial DNA Repair: Examination of the Product Inhibition of Uracil-DNA Glycosylase and Demonstration of an Apurinic/Apyrimidinic Endonuclease.
Undergraduate Thesis: In Search of the Golden Fleece – A Quest for the Total Synthesis of Phyllodulcin.

Rick spent over ten years in practice with law firms in Atlanta (ranging from traditional “big” law to a mid-size regional law firm and then to an Atlanta-based intellectual property boutique) before joining Innovators Legal. Bringing a breadth of experience not only as a legal practitioner but also as an entrepreneur, biochemist, chemist, educator, and inventor, Rick was inspired by the firm’s founding values of high-quality, innovative service. He brings to bear his full range of experience in support of the firm’s dynamic practice.

Rick has experience managing and prosecuting company patent portfolios, diligence efforts, deal sourcing, and licensing negotiations, both from an in-house position working with outside counsel and from the perspective of a legal practitioner advising clients from within a law firm environment. He has experience leading research programs in both the academic and industry worlds, teaching undergraduate and graduate courses at leading research universities, and leading investment rounds for early-stage biopharma companies. His clients have included prominent universities and research hospitals, as well as early-stage and multi-national companies, where he has advised and managed complex patent portfolios.

Rick has drafted patent applications related to inventions in chemistry, including materials science, polymer science, pharmaceutical formulations, novel and repurposed drugs, and synthetic organic chemistry; biotechnology, including inventions related to human and animal health, as well as plant biotechnology; medical devices; software; and consumer products. He drafts and prosecutes U.S. patent applications, corresponds with foreign associates to guide the prosecution of foreign applications, provides strategic portfolio management to both U.S. and foreign clients, and develops patentability/FTO opinions.

Rick’s scientific and technical experience includes projects in biochemistry, molecular biology, synthetic organic chemistry, and polymer science. Rick has worked on and managed research programs in academia, industry, and start-up companies including basic research, pre-clinical development, and early clinical development. His research has ranged from synthesis of natural products, to small molecule drugs, to polymers, to protein translation, to membrane protein structure and function.

Rick is an experienced educator, having taught classes to both undergraduates and graduate students, including organic chemistry, molecular biology, and advanced laboratory methods protein research. He has also mentored students on patent matters for the Emory/Georgia Tech TI:GER program. Rick also mentors for the Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience at Georgia Tech and frequently engages with graduate students and post-doctoral students one-on-one and formal seminars on transitioning from the research world to a career in intellectual property. He also has presented at national meetings and in webinars on patent concerns and strategy around drug repurposing, pharmaceutical development, and CRISPR technologies. During his time in academia, Rick was a co-PI on numerous grants, including R01 and P01 grants, as well as being awarded an individual NIH Postdoctoral NRSA grant, as well as various university research awards as both an undergraduate and graduate student.

Rick has authored numerous technical publications, including publications in Journal of Biological Chemistry, Nucleic Acids Research, Biochemistry, American Journal of Physiology, and Journal of American Society for Nephrology. In addition to his publication list, Rick has presented at a variety of regional, national and international conferences and meetings, including national meetings of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biophysics Society, Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology, American Society for Nephrology, American Physiological Society, Banff Winternational Symposium on Membrane Proteins and Disease, Conference of the Membrane Biophysics Subgroup of the Biophysical Society, and International Dictyostelium Meeting. He is also a co-inventor on 14 issued U.S. patents relating to inventions comprising small molecule therapeutic agents.
Rick works with many university and academic clients, and he understands the complex needs and demands of university technology transfer and licensing. Rick is active in the Association of University Technology Managers (AUTM) and frequently presents to university technology-transfer groups and at regional and national AUTM meetings.

Experience

Senior Associate (retained) – Anzu Partners
Senior Patent Agent – Thomas Horstemeyer
Patent Agent – Morris, Manning, & Martin
Patent Agent – Ballard Spahr
Co-Founder – ChemoCore Therapeutics
CEO and President – AIM Therapeutics
CSO – BioQuest Innovations
Technical Advisor – Troutman Sanders
Adjunct Faculty – Emory University School of Medicine
Director of Business Development – Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories
Faculty – Emory University School of Medicine
Postdoctoral Fellow – Emory University School of Medicine
Postdoctoral Fellow – The University of Texas at Austin

Presentations

“Localization of UT‐A Urea Transporter Isoforms in Rat Kidney Subregions Using RT‐PCR,” J.J. Doran, J.M. Sands, and R.T. Timmer, J. Amer. Soc. Nephrol. 11 (2000).
“Novel UT‐B Urea Transporter mRNA Isoforms are Expressed in Rat Tissues,” J.J. Doran, J.M. Sands, R.B. Gunn, and R.T. Timmer, J. Amer. Soc. Nephrol. 11 (2000).
“Stimulation of the Protein Kinase A Pathway Increases Phosphorylation of the UT‐A1 Urea Transporter in Stably Transfected HEK‐293 Cells,” J.D. Klein, R.T. Timmer, and J.M. Sands, J. Amer. Soc. Nephrol. 11 (2000).
“Long‐Term Regulation of UT‐A Transporter Expression in mIMCD3 Cells,” Y. Nakayama, T. Peng, R.T. Timmer, J.M. Sands, and S.M. Bagnasco, J. Amer. Soc. Nephrol. 10, 21A (1999).
“Urea Transporter (UT‐A) mRNA Isoforms are Expressed in Rat Extra‐Renal Tissues,” J.J. Doran, R.B. Gunn, J.M. Sands, and R. T. Timmer, J. Amer. Soc. Nephrol. 10, 14A (1999).
“Localization of Urea Transporters (UT‐A) in Rat Kidney Subregions Using Northern and Western Analysis,” J.J. Doran, P. Rouillard, J.D. Klein, R.B. Gunn, R.T. Timmer, and J.M. Sands, J. Amer. Soc. Nephrol. 10, 14A (1999).
“Expression of UT‐A Urea Transporter Protein in Rat Testis,” S.M. Bagnasco, Y. Nakayama, J.D. Klein, P. Rouillard, T. Peng, R.T. Timmer, and J.M. Sands, J. Amer. Soc. Nephrol. 10, 12A (1999).
“Expression of Urea Transporters in Developing Rat Kidney,” Y.H. Kim, D.U. Kim, K.H. Han, R.T. Timmer, J.M. Sands, M.A. Knepper, K.M. Madsen, and J. Kim, J. Amer. Soc. Nephrol. 10, 406A (1999).
“Expression of Type I, Type II and Type III Na‐phosphate Cotransporters in Human and Rat,” R.T. Timmer and R.B. Gunn, FASEB J. 13, LB27 (1999).
“UT‐A Urea Transporter mRNA Isoforms are Expressed in Heart, Brain and Liver in Human and Rat Tissues,” J.J. Doran, J.M. Sands, R.B. Gunn, S.M. Bagnasco, and R.T. Timmer, FASEB J. 13, A392 (1999).
“The Erythrocyte Urea Transporter UT‐B Protein is Expressed in Rat Kidney, Liver and Heart,” R.T. Timmer, J.W. Verlander, S.M. Bagnasco, P. Rouillard, J.D. Klein, B. Stockman, J.M. Sands, and R.B. Gunn, FASEB J. 13, A391 (1999).
“The Liver Expresses a UT‐A Urea Transporter Protein that is Up‐Regulated in Uremia or after Adrenalectomy,” J.D. Klein, R.T. Timmer, P. Rouillard, J.L. Bailey, and J.M. Sands, J. Amer. Soc. Nephrol. 9, 21A (1998).
“Glycosylated Forms of UT‐A Urea Transporters Present in Kidney Medulla,” P. Rouillard, J.D. Klein, R.T. Timmer, and J.M. Sands, J. Amer. Soc. Nephrol. 9, 25A (1998).
“The Activities of the New Rat Renal Transporters UT‐A3 and UT‐A4 are Regulated by a cAMP‐Dependent Pathway,” R.T. Timmer, A. Karakashian, J.M. Sands, and S.M. Bagnasco, J. Amer. Soc. Nephrol. 9, 26A (1998).
“UT‐A Urea Transporter mRNA Isoforms are Expressed in Rat Kidney, Liver, Brain, Heart and Mammalian Cell Lines,” J.J. Doran, J.M. Sands, R.B. Gunn, S.M. Bagnasco, and R.T. Timmer, J. Amer. Soc. Nephrol. 9, 17A (1998).
“The Erythrocyte Urea Transporter UT‐B Protein is Expressed in Rat Kidney, Liver and Heart,” R.T. Timmer, S.M. Bagnasco, P. Rouillard, J.D. Klein, J.W. Verlander, B. Stockman, J.M. Sands, and R.B. Gunn, J. Amer. Soc. Nephrol. 9, 26A (1998).
“Functional Expression of hAE1 (Band3) in HEK293 Cells,” R.T. Timmer, N.C. Saxena, B. Stockman, Y. Yang, P.M. Smith, and R.B. Gunn, J. Gen. Physiol. 112, 47a (1998).
“Inducible Expression of hAE1 (Band3) in HEK293 Cells: Functional and Biochemical Characterization,” R.T. Timmer and R.B. Gunn, Banff Winternational Symposium on Membrane Proteins and Disease, Banff (Alberta) Canada (1998).
“Inducible Expression of hAE1 (Band3) in HEK293 Cells: Functional and Biochemical Characterization,” R.T. Timmer and R.B. Gunn, Biophys. J. 74, A395 (1998).
“Phosphate Enhances Active 45Ca Uptake in Rat Brain Microsomes,” X.J. Meng, R.T. Timmer, R.F. Abercrombie, and R.B. Gunn, Biophys. J. 74, A378 (1998).
“Identification of Two New mRNA Isoforms of the Rat Renal Urea Transporter (UT‐A) Gene,” S.M. Bagnasco, A. Karakashian, R.T. Timmer, and J.M. Sands, J. Amer. Soc. Nephrol. 8, 15A (1997).
“Heterologous Expression of the 2.9 and 4.0 kb Isoforms of the Rat Renal Urea Transporter,” R.T. Timmer, S.M. Bagnasco, A. Karakashian, J.D. Klein, J.M. Sands, and R.B. Gunn, J. Amer. Soc. Nephrol. 8, 26A (1997).
“Molecular and Kinetic Characterization of Sodium‐Phosphate Cotransport in the Erythroleukemic Cell Line K562: Identification of the Erythrocyte Sodium‐Phosphate Cotransporter as hPiT‐1,” R.T. Timmer and R.B. Gunn, FASEB J. 11, A454 (1997).
“Immunolocalization of Urea Transporter Proteins in Human and Rat Kidney,” S.M. Bagnasco, J.D. Jacobs, R.T. Timmer, J.D. Klein, O. Froehlich, and R.B. Gunn, FASEB J. 11, A24 (1997).
“Kinetic Evidence that the Sodium‐Phosphate Cotransporter is the Major Molecular Mechanism for Na‐Li Exchange in Human Red Blood Cells,” S. Elmariah, R.T. Timmer, J. Pooler, and R.B. Gunn, Biophys. J. 72, A196 (1997).
“Transport of Hydroxyurea in Erythrocytes: Implications for Hydroxyurea Handling in the Kidney,” O. Froehlich, R.T. Timmer, R.B. Gunn, and J.M. Sands, Biophys. J. 70, A196 (1997).
“Heterologous Expression and Characterization of the 2.9kb Isoform of the Rat Renal Urea Transporter,” R.T. Timmer, R.B. Gunn, O. Froehlich, S.M. Bagnasco, J.D. Klein, and J.M. Sands, Biophys. J. 72, A413 (1997).
“Sodium‐Phosphate Cotransport in the Erythroleukemic Cell Line K562,” R.T. Timmer and R.B. Gunn, Red Cell Club Meeting, Wayne State University, Dayton OH (1997).
“Sodium‐Phosphate Cotransport Mechanism: Na‐Na Exchange can Preserve the Transmembrane Na Gradient,” R.B. Gunn and R.T. Timmer, FASEB J. 10, A81 (1996).
“Transport of 22Na and 32PO4 on the Human Renal NaPi‐3 Cotransporter Expressed in HEK‐293 Cells,” R.T. Timmer, P.M. Smith, J.D. Hill, Y. Yang, and R.B. Gunn, Biophys J. 70, A412 (1996).
“Heterologous Expression of Mammalian Transport Proteins in Dictyostelium discoideum: A New Expression Vector Which Uses Zeocin as a Selectable Marker,” R.T. Timmer, P.M. Smith, and R.B. Gunn, Advances in Coupled Membrane Transport and Volume Regulation, Fifth Biennial Conference of the Membrane Biophysics Subgroup of the Biophysical Society, Duke University Marine Laboratory, Beaufort NC (1995).
“A New Expression Vector for Dictyostelium discoideum Which Utilizes Zeocin as a Selectable Marker,” R.T. Timmer, P.M. Smith, and R.B. Gunn, International Dictyostelium Meeting, Dourdan France (1995).
“Ion Content and Membrane Transport in Dictyostelium discoideum,” R.B. Gunn and R.T. Timmer, International Dictyostelium Meeting, Dourdan France (1995).
“Sodium Phosphate Cotransporter Expression in Xenopus oocytes and HEK‐293 cells,” R.T. Timmer, P.M. Smith, T.L.C. Murphy, and R.B. Gunn, FASEB J. 9, A363 (1995).
“Expression and Function of Cysteine Mutant Forms of Human AE1,” R.T. Timmer, P.M. Smith, and R.B. Gunn, Biophys. J. 64, A444 (1995).
“Comparison of the Translation of Rabbit α‐Globin and β‐Globin mRNAs,” R.T. Timmer, K.S. Browning, L.A. Weill, and J.M. Ravel, J. Gen. Physiol. 100, 36a (1992).
“Isolation and Sequence of the cDNAs Encoding the Subunits of the Isozyme Form of Wheat Protein Synthesis Initiation Factor 4F,” M.L. Allen, A.M. Metz, R.T. Timmer, and K.S. Browning, Cold Spring Harbor Symposium on Translational Control, Cold Spring Harbor NY (1992).
“Effects of Changes in the 5´ Untranslated Region of Satellite Tobacco Necrosis RNA on the Requirement for a 5´ Cap Structure,” L.A. Weill, R.T. Timmer, K.S. Browning, and J.M. Ravel, Cold Spring Harbor Symposium on Translational Control, Cold Spring Harbor NY (1992).
“A Specific Region in the 3´ Untranslated End of Satellite Tobacco Necrosis Virus RNA is Required for Cap‐Independent Translation,” R.T. Timmer, K.S. Browning, S.R. Lax, and J.M. Ravel, Cold Spring Harbor Symposium on Translational Control, Cold Spring Harbor NY (1992).
“A General Mechanism for Regulating Initiation of Translation of mRNA Based on Differences in Requirements for Initiation Factors 4A, 4F, and 4B,” R.T. Timmer, L. Fletcher, S.D. Corbin, G.B. Smith, K.S. Browning, J.M. Ravel, FASEB J. 4, A1844 (1990).
“Initiation Factors 4A and 4F are Released from mRNA when the mRNA is Bound to 40 S Ribosomal Subunits,” R.T. Timmer, K.S. Browning, and J.M. Ravel, Cold Spring Harbor Symposium on Translational Control, Cold Spring Harbor NY (1989).
“Mitochondrial Uracil‐DNA Glycosylase from Rat Liver: Identification, Purification, and Comparison of the Biochemical Properties,” J.D. Domena, R.T. Timmer, S.A. Dicharry, and D.W. Mosbaugh, UCLA Symposia: Mechanisms and Consequences of DNA Damage Processing, Taos NM (1988).
“Two Forms of Uracil‐DNA Glycosylase from Rat Liver Mitochondria: Purification and Comparison of Biochemical Properties,” J.D. Domena, R.T. Timmer, S.A. Dicharry, and D.W. Mosbaugh, Lost Pines Molecular Biology Conference, University of Texas Cancer Center, Smithville TX (1987).
“Catalytic Properties of Mitochondrial Uracil‐DNA Glycosylase I and II from Rat Liver,” J.D. Domena, S.A. Dicharry, R.T. Timmer, D.W. Mosbaugh, Lost Pines Molecular Biology Conference, University of Texas Cancer Center, Smithville TX (1986).

Publications

“FDA issues highly anticipated biosimilar draft guidance,” M.A. Merchant and R.T. Timmer, Pharmaceutical Commerce, 30-31 (May/June 2012).
“New Approaches for Treatment of Diabetic Nephropathy: The Endothelium as a Target for Drug Discovery,” U. Saxena, R.T. Timmer, S. Pillarisetti, Expert Opin. Ther. Target 5(5), 539-545 (2001).
“Localization of the urea transporter UT‐B protein in human and rat erythrocytes and tissues.” R.T. Timmer, J.D. Klein, S.M. Bagnasco, J.J. Doran, J.W. Verlander, R.B. Gunn, and J.M. Sands, Amer. J. Physiol. 281, C1318-1325 (2001).
“The molecular basis for Na‐dependent phosphate transport in human erythrocytes and K562 cells,” R.T. Timmer and R.B. Gunn, J. Gen. Physiol. 116, 363-378 (2000).
“Separate entry pathways for phosphate and oxalate in rat brain microsomes,” X.J. Meng, R.T. Timmer, R.B. Gunn, and R.F. Abercrombie, Amer. J. Physiol. 278, C1183-1190 (2000).
“Lithium Intoxication,” R.T. Timmer and J.M. Sands, J. Amer. Soc. Nephrol. 10, 666-674 (1999).
“UT-A Urea Transporter Protein Expressed in Liver: Upregulation by Uremia,” J.D. Klein, P.M. Rouillard, R.T. Timmer, J.L. Bailey, and J.M. Sands, J. Amer. Soc. Nephrol. 10: 2076-2083 (1999).
“Accurate mRNA size determination in Northern analysis using individual lane size markers,” J.J. Doran, J.M. Sands, R.T. Timmer, BioTechniques 27, 280-282 (1999).
“Inducible expression of erythrocyte Band3 protein,” R.T. Timmer and R.B. Gunn, Amer. J. Physiol. 276, C66-C75 (1999).
“Cloning and characterization of two new isoforms of the rat kidney urea transporter: UT‐A3 and UT‐A4,” A. Karakashian, R.T. Timmer, J.D. Klein, R.B. Gunn, J.M. Sands, and S.M. Bagnasco, J. Amer. Soc. Nephrol. 10, 230-237 (1999).
“Phosphate Transport by the Human Renal Cotransporter NaPi-3 Expressed in HEK-293 Cells,” R.T. Timmer and R.B. Gunn, Amer. J. Physiol. 274, C757-769 (1998).
“Urea transporters in kidney and erythrocytes,” J.M. Sands, R.T. Timmer, R.B. Gunn, Amer. J. Physiol. 273, F321-339 (1997).
“Determination of the Amounts of Protein Synthesis Initiation Factors Required for Translation of Rabbit Alpha-Globin and Beta-Globin mRNAs,” R.T. Timmer, L.A. Benkowski, J.M. Ravel, and K.S. Browning, Biochem. Biophys. Res. Comm. 210, 370-377 (1995).
“Characterization of wheat germ protein synthesis initiation factor eIF‐4C and comparison of eIF‐4C from wheat germ and rabbit reticulocytes,” R.T. Timmer, S.R. Lax, D.L. Hughes, W.C. Merrick, J.M. Ravel, and K.S. Browning, J. Biol. Chem. 268, 24863-24867 (1993).
“The effects of changes in the 5´ and 3´ untranslated regions of satellite tobacco necrosis virus RNA on the requirement for a 5´ cap structure and on translational efficiency,” R.T. Timmer, L.A. Benkowski, D. Schodin, S.R. Lax, J.M. Ravel, and K.S. Browning, J. Biol. Chem. 268, 9504-9510 (1993).
“Sequence for the cDNA encoding the cap‐binding subunit of wheat germ eIF‐4F,” A.M. Metz, R.T. Timmer, and K.S. Browning, Nucl. Acids Res. 20, 4096 (1993).
“Sequence of a cDNA encoding the α‐subunit of wheat germ translation elongation factor 1,” A.M. Metz, R.T. Timmer, M.L. Allen, and K.S. Browning, Gene 120, 315-316 (1992).
“Sequence for two cDNAs encoding Arabidopsis thaliana protein synthesis initiation factor 4A,” A.M. Metz, R.T. Timmer, K.S. Browning, Gene 120, 313-314 (1992).
“Isolation and sequence of the cDNAs encoding the subunits of the isozyme form of wheat germ initiation factor 4F,” M.L. Allen, A.M. Metz, R.T. Timmer, R.E. Rhoads, and K.S. Browning, J. Biol. Chem 267, 23232-23236 (1992).
“Purification and properties of mitochondrial uracil‐DNA glycosylase from rat liver,” J.D. Domena, R.T. Timmer, S.A. Dicharry, and D.W. Mosbaugh, Biochemistry 27, 6742-6751 (1988).