Sommer S. Zimmerman is a member of the Patent Group’s Life Sciences team. Her practice focuses on various aspects of patent prosecution, due diligence, and freedom to operate analysis, working primarily with clients in the life sciences, chemical, and food and beverage industries.
Sommer has nearly a decade of experience in domestic and international patent prosecution. She also has significant experience providing strategic patent counseling to life sciences companies, universities, and research institutions, leveraging complex structures searches to guide them through key stages of drug development. In addition, Sommer has worked closely on several due diligence projects, which have successfully culminated in multi-million dollar license agreements.
Services
Professional Highlights
Professional Activities
State Bar of Georgia
Georgia State University IP Law Society
Patents and Patent Publications
Co-inventor, "NMDA Receptor Modulators and Uses Related Thereto," US Patent No. 9,737,522 B2
Co-inventor, "Subunit Selective NMDA Receptor Antagonists for the Treatment of Neurological Conditions," US Publication No. 2011/0319416 A1
Recognition & Accomplishments
USPTO, Patent Pro Bono Achievement Certificate, 2022
Speaking Engagements
"Potentiation of the GluN2C Containing NMDA Receptors by Pyrrolidinones, a Novel Class of Compounds," Society for Neuroscience, New Orleans, October 13-17, 2012
"Design, Synthesis and Structure-Activity-Relationship of a Novel Series of GluN2C Selective Potentiators," Abstract of Papers, 244th American Chemical Society National Meeting, Philadelphia, August 19-23, 2012
"Potentiation of the GluN2C Containing NMDA Receptors by Pyrrolidinones, a Novel Class of Compounds," Postdoctoral Fellow Research Symposium, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, May 31, 2012
Board Memberships & Community Service
AUTM Eastern Region Planning Committee, 2021-present
Publications
Co-author, "A Novel Negative Allosteric Modulator Selective for GluN2C/2D-Containing NMDA Receptors Inhibits Synaptic Transmission in Hippocampal Interneurons," ACS Chem. Neurosci., 2017
Co-author, "Design, Synthesis, and Structure-Activity Relationship of a Novel Series of GluN2C-Selective Potentiators," J. Med. Chem., 2014
Co-author, “Structural Determinants and Mechanism of Action of a GluN2C-selective NMDA Receptor Positive Allosteric Modulator,” Molecular Pharmacology, 2014
Co-author, "Novel NMDA Receptor Modulators: An Update," Expert Opinion on Therapeutic Patents, 2012
Co-author, "Consecutive Sigmatropic Rearrangements in the Enantioselective Total Synthesis of (-)-Joubertinamine and (-)-Mesembrine," Tetrahedron, 2009<s<></s<>
Credentials
Education
Georgia State University College of Law (J.D., 2019)
CALI Awards for Excellence in Education Law
Recipient, Certificate in Intellectual Property, 2019
Recipient, Intellectual Property Scholarship, 2016
Recipient, 20th Anniversary Scholarship, 2016
Emory University (Ph.D., Organic Chemistry, 2013)
Dissertation: Design, Synthesis, and Biological Evaluation of Subunit-Selective-N-Methyl-D-Aspartate Receptor Modulators
Florida State University (B.S., psychology and criminology, 2006; B.S., chemistry, 2008)
CALI Awards for Excellence in Education Law
Recipient, Certificate in Intellectual Property, 2019
Recipient, Intellectual Property Scholarship, 2016
Recipient, 20th Anniversary Scholarship, 2016
Emory University (Ph.D., Organic Chemistry, 2013)
Dissertation: Design, Synthesis, and Biological Evaluation of Subunit-Selective-N-Methyl-D-Aspartate Receptor Modulators
Florida State University (B.S., psychology and criminology, 2006; B.S., chemistry, 2008)
Admissions
Georgia
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office