Biography
For clients producing biotech advancements in biologics and vaccines, Eric M. Brusca, Ph.D. secures patents internationally through prosecution and related proceedings. Clients rely on his legal experience from handling a wide variety of these technologies. They also gain sure and insightful assessments of their patentable products and processes, all rooted in his graduate training and research in microbiology, biochemistry, and molecular biology. A teacher as well, he communicates effectively with his clients and successfully represents their interests.
He was selected for inclusion in the 2014–2017 Illinois Rising Stars® lists, featuring outstanding young attorneys in the state. Most recently, he was selected for inclusion in the 2018 and 2019 Illinois Super Lawyers® list. Eric was designated as an “Emerging Lawyer” in the 2015–2017 editions of Emerging Lawyers Magazine, in which individuals are recognized among the top up-and-coming attorneys in Illinois who are under 40 or have been practicing less than 10 years. Since 2018, he has been recognized as a "Leading Lawyer" by Leading Lawyers, a division of Law Bulletin Publishing Company. In 2024, Eric was selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America© list in the practice area of Patent Law.
Representative Experience
- Secured patents worldwide for clinical-stage immunotherapy company covering vaccine adjuvants and therapeutic viral vectors.
- Successfully secured U.S. and foreign patents covering HPV vaccines, with an estimated market worth exceeding $3 billion annually.
- Counseled, prepared, and prosecuted dozens of patent applications for clients working with recombinant DNA, protein and antibody technologies. Clients ranged from public and private universities and non-profit research institutions to global “big pharma” companies.
- Secured patents for industry-leading biotechnology companies covering recombinant blood clotting factors and recombinant growth factors.
Eric has handled matters in a wide variety of biotechnology disciplines, such as:
- Artificial Intelligence (AI) / Machine Learning (ML) techniques for large molecule drug discovery
- Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) analyses
- Gut microbiome screening and therapeutics
- Vaccine development technology including vectors, adjuvants and whole tumor cell vaccines
- Nanotechnology including single-cell isolation techniques and analytics (transcriptomics, genomics, proteomics) and microfluidic processes
- Therapeutic RNA including siRNA, miRNA, RNAi and formulations
- Chimeric antigen receptors (CAR-T) and bi-specific antibodies (BiTEs)
- Recombinant DNA, expression vectors, and genetically modified cell lines
- CRISPR and gene editing
- Protein and antibody technology
- Gene therapy
- Growth factors
Background and Credentials
Eric has extensively assisted his biotech clients with domestic and foreign patent prosecution, U.S. post-grant proceedings and foreign opposition proceedings, and non-infringement/validity opinions.
Eric received his J.D. from The John Marshall Law School and has matched his legal experience with his mastery of various technologies. Prior to joining the firm, he researched RNA-protein interactions and catalytic RNA molecules in the Department of Chemistry at Loyola University Chicago. He received his Ph.D. in chemistry from Loyola University Chicago in 2001. Throughout his graduate studies, he specialized in research topics pertaining to biochemistry, molecular biology, and microbiology. He holds an M.S. in microbiology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Education
- The John Marshall Law School (J.D.)
- Loyola University Chicago (Ph.D.)
- Chemistry
- University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (M.S.)
- Microbiology
- University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (B.S.)
- Microbiology
Bar Admissions
Publications and Presentations
- "IP Due Diligence Checklist: What To Address Before Executing A Transaction," Life Science Leader, January 2020 Issue.
- "Intellectual Property: What qualifies as prior art?," North Carolina Lawyers Weekly, April 15, 2019.
- "Intellectual Property: What qualifies as prior art?," South Carolina Lawyers Weekly, April 15, 2019.
- “IP due diligence: Important questions to address before pulling the trigger on a transaction,” InsideCounsel, September 2, 2014.
- “Do your duty — disclose information to the USPTO during prosecution,” InsideCounsel, August 5, 2014.
Click here to see additional Publications and Presentations.
Community and Professional Involvement
- Association of University Technology Managers (AUTM)
- BIO (Biotechnology Industry Organization)