Lorna L. Tanner

PartnerMember, Executive Committee and Co-Leader, Life Sciences Industry Team
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Lorna Tanner

Overview

Lorna Tanner helps life sciences companies protect innovation, navigate regulatory challenges and manage portfolios, from their first patent filings to their global intellectual property strategies. She leads the Life Sciences team and serves on the firm's Executive Committee.

Lorna’s work spans patent strategies for therapeutics worldwide, including portfolio management for drugs and biologics. She has been involved in patent strategies for 20 approved drugs and biologics, guiding clients through each stage of product development and launch. Her experience covers patent term extensions, Orange Book listings and pre- and post-grant challenges, helping clients maintain a competitive edge.

With a deep focus on small molecules in clinical development, Lorna also has extensive experience with antibodies, modified proteins and viruses, immunotherapies such as CAR T, biopolymers and advanced drug delivery systems. Her clients range from emerging biopharma companies to global pharmaceutical leaders, and she has prosecuted patent portfolios for groundbreaking therapies, including those licensed to large pharma.

Lorna delivers strategic guidance to clients navigating high-stakes diligence matters, including public offerings, mergers, collaborations and financings. She provides guidance on freedom-to-operate, inventorship and IP risk assessments, helping clients make informed decisions that drive growth and innovation. Her ability to align IP strategy with business goals has earned her recognition as a leading life sciences practitioner.

Beyond her technical expertise, Lorna delivers results. She has successfully represented clients in patent prosecution and counseling, enforcement and licensing matters, helping them secure and defend patents for first-in-class and first-to-market therapies.

Experience
  • Gilead Sciences, Inc. - Prosecuting numerous patent portfolios directed to hepatitis C and cardiovascular approved drugs and drugs in development.
  • Global Blood Therapeutics, Inc., acquired by Pfizer - Developing and prosecuting patent portfolio directed to voxelotor and other compounds in the pipeline.
  • Denali Therapeutics, Inc. - Prosecuting numerous patent portfolios directed to several targets, including the foundational IP licensed to Biogen and also Sanofi.
  • Structure Therapeutics, Inc. – Prosecuting numerous patent portfolios directed to lead molecules.
  • Theravance, Inc. – Prosecuting numerous patent portfolios relating to drug products and drug candidates.
  • Outside patent counsel to publicly traded biopharma company, prosecuting patents relating to drug candidates for treating anemia.
  • Outside patent counsel to numerous emerging biopharma companies developing and prosecuting patents directed to drug discovery assays, medical devices and combination drug products.
Credentials
Education

J.D., Santa Clara University School of Law, 2002

B.S., University of California, Berkeley, 1999

Admissions

California

U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit

Honors

Life Science Visionary, LA Times, 2026

Patent Prosecutor of the Year Award, Managing Intellectual Property, 2026

Finalist, Patent Strategy Attorney of the Year - California, LMG Life Sciences, 2025

Top 250 Women in IP, Managing Intellectual Property, 2023-2025

Global IP Strategist, IAM Strategy 300 Global Leaders, 2022-2026

Leading IP Strategist, IAM Strategy 300, 2022-2023

Leading Lawyer, Intellectual Property: Patent Prosecution – California, Chambers USA, 2022-2025

Leading Life Sciences Lawyer - Intellectual Property (Patent Strategy & Management), LMG Life Sciences, 2021-2025

The World's Leading Patent Professionals, IAM Patent 1000, 2019, 2021-2023, 2025

Patent IP Star, Managing Intellectual Property, 2020-2025

Patent Strategy Attorney of the Year - California, LMG Life Sciences, 2021

Intellectual Property Star, Patent Strategy & Management, LMG Life Sciences, 2019

Top Intellectual Property Lawyers, Daily Journal, 2018-2019

Women Leaders in Tech Law, The Recorder, 2017

Recognized for patent prosecution work, Legal 500, 2011

Chambers USA 2025_ Lorna Tanner
Lorna Tanner - Chambers 2024
Lorna Tanner - Chambers USA 2023
Thought Leadership
  • Co-author, "America Invents Act: Law & Analysis," Wolters Kluwer, 2012
"Lorna has a great strategic mind."
Chambers USA, 2023