Yao Zong, Ph.D.

Patent Agent

212.912.2851

More ways to contact Yao Zong, Ph.D.

Additional Languages: Mandarin

Photo of Yao Zong
Overview
Representative Matters

Yao focuses on patent prosecution and IP strategy for clients in the pharmaceutical, life sciences, and chemical sectors. She assists clients with drafting claims and specifications, responding to office actions, conducting prior art research and freedom-to-operate analyses, and supports IP due diligence in connection with investments, licensing agreements, and mergers and acquisitions.

As a Ph.D. chemist with three years of industry experience in small-molecule drug discovery, Yao brings firsthand laboratory and preclinical research experience to her patent practice, enabling her to engage directly with R&D teams on complex chemistry-driven inventions.

  • Assist in preparing and prosecuting patent applications across life sciences and chemical technologies, aligning claims strategy with product roadmaps and licensing objectives.
  • Support patent prosecution by preparing responses to U.S. and foreign Office Actions.
  • Maintain docketing accuracy and tracked critical prosecution deadlines consistently.
  • Conduct comprehensive prior art research and FTO analysis, delivering technical opinions on patentability, validity, and potential infringement risk.
  • Support IP due diligence for corporate transactions, including investments, licensing agreements, and mergers and acquisitions.
Overview

Yao focuses on patent prosecution and IP strategy for clients in the pharmaceutical, life sciences, and chemical sectors. She assists clients with drafting claims and specifications, responding to office actions, conducting prior art research and freedom-to-operate analyses, and supports IP due diligence in connection with investments, licensing agreements, and mergers and acquisitions.

As a Ph.D. chemist with three years of industry experience in small-molecule drug discovery, Yao brings firsthand laboratory and preclinical research experience to her patent practice, enabling her to engage directly with R&D teams on complex chemistry-driven inventions.

Representative Matters
  • Assist in preparing and prosecuting patent applications across life sciences and chemical technologies, aligning claims strategy with product roadmaps and licensing objectives.
  • Support patent prosecution by preparing responses to U.S. and foreign Office Actions.
  • Maintain docketing accuracy and tracked critical prosecution deadlines consistently.
  • Conduct comprehensive prior art research and FTO analysis, delivering technical opinions on patentability, validity, and potential infringement risk.
  • Support IP due diligence for corporate transactions, including investments, licensing agreements, and mergers and acquisitions.

Top areas of focus

  • Research scientist, Angion Biomedica, 2020-2022

Education

  • State University of New York at Stony Brook, Ph.D., 2018, organic chemistry
  • Nankai University, B.S., 2013, chemistry

Bar Admissions

  • U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

Languages

  • Mandarin
  • Co-speaker, “Design, Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of Novel Tumor-Targeted Drug Delivery Systems for a Third Generation Taxoid, Combretastatin, and Their Combination,” Abstracts of Papers, 251st ACS National Meeting & Exposition, Philadelphia, PA, 2016.
  • Co-speaker, “Computational Structural-Based Design and Structure and Activity Study of Fluorinated Combretastatin Analogues,” Abstracts of Papers, 253rd ACS National Meeting & Exposition, San
    Francisco, CA, 2017.
  • Co-author, “Computational Design and Synthesis of Novel Fluoro-Analogs of Combretastatin A-4 and A-1,” Journal of Fluorine Chemistry, 2017.