Daniel J. Knauss

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Professional Summary — Daniel J. Knauss (Cooley LLP)

Focus areas. Dr. Knauss is a Cooley partner in Palo Alto whose practice centers on life sciences and high-technology patent litigation. His docket skews toward biotechnology and pharmaceutical work — BPCIA biosimilar litigation, Hatch-Waxman/ANDA actions, antibody and antiviral therapeutics, agricultural technology and biofuels, and medical devices — supplemented by high-tech matters such as autonomous vehicles, machine learning, semiconductor design, processor cooling, optics, and software. Cooley's own bio describes him as a trial lawyer handling patent, trade secret, and commercial disputes, active in the District of Delaware, California, and Texas, with PTAB, Federal Circuit, and ITC experience. His technical background is genuine rather than nominal: a PhD in microbiology and cancer biology, and prior work as a patent agent and director of IP at a molecular diagnostics company before law school.

Side preference. The tracked dataset reflects a single plaintiff-side appearance, which significantly understates the actual mix of his practice. Web-verified matters show him acting predominantly for defendants and biosimilar challengers — Amgen (Genentech v. Amgen), Celltrion/Teva (Genentech v. Celltrion), Samsung Bioepis (Alexion v. Samsung Bioepis), Gevo, Vilmorin, and Zipline — while also prosecuting infringement claims for plaintiffs such as Horus Vision, Journey Medical, and Varian. He does not fit an NPE/PAE profile; his clients are operating companies and innovators on both sides of the "v."

Firm context. All verified sources place him at Cooley LLP, resident in the Palo Alto office (3175 Hanover Street). No prior firm affiliations surfaced in the sources reviewed; his pre-law-school roles were in-house in patent procurement at a diagnostics company rather than at another law firm. He is a USPTO-registered practitioner (Reg. No. 56,393) and a member of the California bar (State Bar No. 267414).

Notable cases and outcomes. Frequently cited results include the Genentech v. Amgen BPCIA matter, where he helped defeat a TRO/preliminary injunction that let Amgen launch its trastuzumab biosimilar Kanjinti (affirmed on appeal, followed by global settlement); Alexion v. Samsung Bioepis, where Cooley won institution of five IPRs and defeated both a preliminary injunction and an emergency injunction pending appeal, clearing the path for the Soliris (eculizumab) biosimilar; the Elekta/Varian three-fora dispute, which settled with no payments and no ongoing financial obligations; and a complete defense verdict for Gilead in an arbitration over Sovaldi rights. The one tracked matter, Clean Chemistry, Inc. v. Enviro Tech Chemical Services, Inc., is an IPR (IPR2025-01459, filed August 2025) challenging U.S. Patent No. 9,730,443, a peracetic-acid-generation patent asserted against Clean Chemistry in parallel W.D. Tex. litigation (EnviroTech v. Clean Chemistry, No. 1:24-cv-01313); the Board denied institution on discretionary grounds in February 2026. No Federal Circuit appellate result attributable to him individually in that matter was verified.

PTAB / IPR experience. He appears regularly in post-grant proceedings as back-up or lead counsel, including the Varian IPR family (IPR2016-00187/00341/00547), the Samsung Bioepis IPR set against Alexion (IPR2023-00933/00998/00999/01069/01070), and IPRs on behalf of Meta involving Palo Alto Research Center and Windy City Innovations. He also handles ex parte reexamination and Federal Circuit appeals, and publishes Cooley client alerts on PTAB and § 101 developments.

Bar / education. JD with distinction, Stanford Law School (editor, Stanford Technology Law Review); PhD in microbiology and cancer biology, University of Wisconsin–Madison. California bar; registered patent attorney (USPTO Reg. No. 56,393).

Caveat: the tracked-appearance count (one case) is far narrower than his actual docket; the practice description above rests on Cooley's own attorney profile, Cooley press coverage, PTAB filings, and court dockets, all of which are consistent as to identity (Reg. No. 56,393 / Cal. Bar No. 267414).