Patent 8685998

Assignment history

Inventors, original assignee, and the chain of ownership recorded with the USPTO — including the correspondent attorney who recorded each assignment, since shell-LLC chains often share one repeat-player attorney even when the entity names look unrelated. Surfaces NPE / patent-troll patterns: shell-entity transfers, known asserters in the chain, repeat correspondent fingerprints, pre-litigation assignments, and bankruptcy fire-sales.

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Ownership chain (11)

Asserters network →

Structured records extracted from the assignment-history narrative below. Each entity links to its full ownership-network profile.

  1. 2009-11-20 · reel 023774/0969 · Assignment

    LADEMANN, ANNE-MARIE; HOLM, PER; Gordon, Robert DLIFECYCLE PHARMA A/S

    Correspondent: Jeffrey B. Sladkus · Reed Smith

    Transfer of inventor's interest to original corporate assignee

  2. 2009-12-09 · reel 023812/0356 · Assignment

    NORLING, TOMASLIFECYCLE PHARMA A/S

    Correspondent: Jeffrey B. Sladkus · Reed Smith

    Transfer of inventor's interest to original corporate assignee

  3. 2011-07-15 · reel 026771/0612 · Change of Name

    LIFECYCLE PHARMA A/SVELOXIS PHARMACEUTICALS A/S

    Correspondent: Jeffrey B. Sladkus · Reed Smith

    Corporate name change

  4. 2014-01-16 · reel 031268/0022 · Change of Address

    VELOXIS PHARMACEUTICALS A/SVELOXIS PHARMACEUTICALS A/S

    Correspondent: Jeffrey B. Sladkus · Reed Smith

    Corporate address change

  5. 2016-04-12 · recorded 2016-04-21 · reel 037568/0871 · Security Interest

    VELOXIS PHARMACEUTICALS A/SNovo A/S, Lundbeckfond Invest A/S

    Correspondent: Karen B. Tripp · Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice

    Grant of security interest

  6. 2018-02-15 · recorded 2018-02-21 · reel 041793/0383 · Security Interest

    VELOXIS PHARMACEUTICALS A/SATHYRIUM OPPORTUNITIES III ACQUISITION LP

    Correspondent: Karen B. Tripp · Womble Bond Dickinson (US)

    Grant of security interest

  7. 2018-03-02 · recorded 2018-03-08 · reel 041926/0205 · Release by Secured Party

    Lundbeckfond Invest A/S, Novo A/SVELOXIS PHARMACEUTICALS A/S

    Correspondent: Karen B. Tripp · Womble Bond Dickinson (US)

    Release of security interest

  8. 2020-01-23 · recorded 2020-01-29 · reel 047648/0345 · Release by Secured Party

    ATHYRIUM OPPORTUNITIES III ACQUISITION LPVELOXIS PHARMACEUTICALS A/S

    Correspondent: Paul M. Galiette · McCarter & English

    Release of security interest

  9. 2021-03-17 · recorded 2021-03-22 · reel 051493/0200 · Assignment

    VELOXIS PHARMACEUTICALS A/SVELOXIS PHARMACEUTICALS INC.

    Correspondent: Elizabeth C. Sandza · Alston & Bird

    Internal reorganization / transfer to US subsidiary

  10. 2021-04-02 · recorded 2021-04-08 · reel 051670/0416 · Assignment

    VELOXIS PHARMACEUTICALS A/SVELOXIS PHARMACEUTICALS INC.

    Correspondent: Elizabeth C. Sandza · Alston & Bird

    Internal reorganization / transfer to US subsidiary

  11. 2024-06-07 · recorded 2024-06-12 · reel 063632/0817 · Change of Address

    VELOXIS PHARMACEUTICALS INC.VELOXIS PHARMACEUTICALS INC.

    Correspondent: Elizabeth C. Sandza · Alston & Bird

    Corporate address change

Assignment history

Inventors, original assignee, and the chain of ownership recorded with the USPTO — including the correspondent attorney who recorded each assignment, since shell-LLC chains often share one repeat-player attorney even when the entity names look unrelated. Surfaces NPE / patent-troll patterns: shell-entity transfers, known asserters in the chain, repeat correspondent fingerprints, pre-litigation assignments, and bankruptcy fire-sales.

✓ Generated

Inventors

  • Robert D. Gordon (Veloxis Pharmaceuticals AS)
  • Per Holm (Veloxis Pharmaceuticals AS)
  • Anne-Marie Lademann (Veloxis Pharmaceuticals AS)
  • Tomas Norling (Veloxis Pharmaceuticals AS)

Original assignee

The original assignee, Veloxis Pharmaceuticals AS (formerly LifeCycle Pharma A/S), is a pharmaceutical company headquartered in Hørsholm, Denmark, with an office in Cary, North Carolina. They develop improved versions of drugs using their proprietary MeltDose® technology. Veloxis Pharmaceuticals AS shipped a product embodying the claims, specifically ENVARSUS XR (a once-daily, extended-release tacrolimus formulation). Veloxis Pharmaceuticals A/S was acquired by Asahi Kasei Pharma Denmark A/S (a subsidiary of Asahi Kasei Corporation) on January 14, 2020, and currently operates as an active subsidiary. Veloxis Pharmaceuticals Inc. (the current assignee of record) is a wholly owned US-based subsidiary of Veloxis Pharmaceuticals A/S.

Assignment timeline

  • 2009-11-20 (executed) / recorded 2009-11-20 — Reel 023774/0969
    • Conveyance: Assignment
    • Assignor: Lademann, Anne-Marie; Holm, Per; Gordon, Robert D.
    • Assignee: Lifecycle Pharma A/S
    • Correspondent: Jeffrey B. Sladkus, Reed Smith LLP, Washington, DC
    • Context: Transfer of inventor's interest to original corporate assignee.
  • 2009-12-09 (executed) / recorded 2009-12-09 — Reel 023812/0356
    • Conveyance: Assignment
    • Assignor: Norling, Tomas
    • Assignee: Lifecycle Pharma A/S
    • Correspondent: Jeffrey B. Sladkus, Reed Smith LLP, Washington, DC. This correspondent also appears on reel 023774/0969.
    • Context: Transfer of inventor's interest to original corporate assignee.
  • 2011-07-15 (executed) / recorded 2011-07-15 — Reel 026771/0612
    • Conveyance: Change of Name
    • Assignor: Lifecycle Pharma A/S
    • Assignee: Veloxis Pharmaceuticals A/S
    • Correspondent: Jeffrey B. Sladkus, Reed Smith LLP, Washington, DC. This correspondent also appears on reel 023774/0969 and 023812/0356.
    • Context: Corporate name change.
  • 2014-01-16 (executed) / recorded 2014-01-16 — Reel 031268/0022
    • Conveyance: Change of Address
    • Assignor: Veloxis Pharmaceuticals A/S
    • Assignee: Veloxis Pharmaceuticals A/S
    • Correspondent: Jeffrey B. Sladkus, Reed Smith LLP, Washington, DC. This correspondent also appears on reel 023774/0969, 023812/0356, and 026771/0612.
    • Context: Corporate address change.
  • 2016-04-12 (executed) / recorded 2016-04-21 — Reel 037568/0871
    • Conveyance: Security Interest
    • Assignor: Veloxis Pharmaceuticals A/S
    • Assignee: Novo A/S, Lundbeckfond Invest A/S
    • Correspondent: Karen B. Tripp, Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice, LLP, Charlotte, NC
    • Context: Grant of security interest.
  • 2018-02-15 (executed) / recorded 2018-02-21 — Reel 041793/0383
    • Conveyance: Security Interest
    • Assignor: Veloxis Pharmaceuticals A/S
    • Assignee: Athyrium Opportunities III Acquisition LP
    • Correspondent: Karen B. Tripp, Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP, Charlotte, NC. This correspondent also appears on reel 037568/0871.
    • Context: Grant of security interest.
  • 2018-03-02 (executed) / recorded 2018-03-08 — Reel 041926/0205
    • Conveyance: Release by Secured Party
    • Assignor: Lundbeckfond Invest A/S, Novo A/S
    • Assignee: Veloxis Pharmaceuticals A/S
    • Correspondent: Karen B. Tripp, Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP, Charlotte, NC. This correspondent also appears on reel 037568/0871 and 041793/0383.
    • Context: Release of security interest.
  • 2020-01-23 (executed) / recorded 2020-01-29 — Reel 047648/0345
    • Conveyance: Release by Secured Party
    • Assignor: Athyrium Opportunities III Acquisition LP
    • Assignee: Veloxis Pharmaceuticals A/S
    • Correspondent: Paul M. Galiette, McCarter & English, LLP, Hartford, CT
    • Context: Release of security interest.
  • 2021-03-17 (executed) / recorded 2021-03-22 — Reel 051493/0200
    • Conveyance: Assignment
    • Assignor: Veloxis Pharmaceuticals A/S
    • Assignee: Veloxis Pharmaceuticals Inc.
    • Correspondent: Elizabeth C. Sandza, Alston & Bird LLP, Washington, DC
    • Context: Internal reorganization / transfer to US subsidiary.
  • 2021-04-02 (executed) / recorded 2021-04-08 — Reel 051670/0416
    • Conveyance: Assignment
    • Assignor: Veloxis Pharmaceuticals A/S
    • Assignee: Veloxis Pharmaceuticals Inc.
    • Correspondent: Elizabeth C. Sandza, Alston & Bird LLP, Washington, DC. This correspondent also appears on reel 051493/0200.
    • Context: Internal reorganization / transfer to US subsidiary.
  • 2024-06-07 (executed) / recorded 2024-06-12 — Reel 063632/0817
    • Conveyance: Change of Address
    • Assignor: Veloxis Pharmaceuticals Inc.
    • Assignee: Veloxis Pharmaceuticals Inc.
    • Correspondent: Elizabeth C. Sandza, Alston & Bird LLP, Charlotte, NC. This correspondent also appears on reel 051493/0200 and 051670/0416.
    • Context: Corporate address change.

Timeline diagram

timeline
    title Ownership of US 8685998
    2009 : Inventors assign to Lifecycle Pharma
    2011 : Lifecycle Pharma changes name to Veloxis Pharma A/S
    2014 : Veloxis Pharma A/S changes address
    2016 : Veloxis Pharma A/S grants security interest
    2018 : Veloxis Pharma A/S grants security interest
         : Security interest released by Novo A/S
    2020 : Security interest released by Athyrium
    2021 : Veloxis Pharma A/S assigns to Veloxis Pharma Inc
         : Veloxis Pharma A/S assigns to Veloxis Pharma Inc
    2024 : Veloxis Pharma Inc changes address

NPE / troll-pattern signals

  1. Shell-entity transfer — not present. Veloxis Pharmaceuticals Inc. is an operating company that develops and commercializes pharmaceutical products.
  2. Known asserter in the chain — not present. None of the assignees (Lifecycle Pharma A/S, Veloxis Pharmaceuticals A/S, Veloxis Pharmaceuticals Inc., Novo A/S, Lundbeckfond Invest A/S, Athyrium Opportunities III Acquisition LP) are identified as known NPEs in public lists.
  3. Repeat correspondent across the chain — present. Jeffrey B. Sladkus of Reed Smith LLP appears on multiple assignments from 2009 to 2014 (reel 023774/0969, 023812/0356, 026771/0612, 031268/0022). Karen B. Tripp of Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice, LLP (later Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP) appears on security interests and releases from 2016 to 2018 (reel 037568/0871, 041793/0383, 041926/0205). Elizabeth C. Sandza of Alston & Bird LLP appears on assignments and address changes from 2021 to 2024 (reel 051493/0200, 051670/0416, 063632/0817).
  4. Cascading transfers — not present. The transfers are primarily related to initial inventor assignments, corporate name changes, security interests, and internal reorganizations, rather than rapid transfers between numerous LLCs.
  5. Pre-litigation transfer — unclear. While the patent has litigation associated with it (as noted in the Google Patents legal events), the assignment timeline does not clearly indicate a transfer specifically within 6 months before the first infringement suit naming this patent. The transfers to Veloxis Pharmaceuticals Inc. occurred in 2021, and the listed litigation cases began in 2022 and 2024.
  6. Bankruptcy fire-sale — not present. Veloxis Pharmaceuticals A/S was acquired by Asahi Kasei, not sold through bankruptcy proceedings.
  7. Privateering — not present. There is no evidence in the provided information of an operating company transferring the patent to an NPE to assert on its behalf.
  8. Defensive aggregator (anti-NPE) — not present. The chain terminates with Veloxis Pharmaceuticals Inc., an operating company, not a defensive aggregator.

Verdict

Operating-company assertion. The patent originated with and remains within an operating pharmaceutical company, Veloxis Pharmaceuticals A/S (and its subsidiary Veloxis Pharmaceuticals Inc.), which actively develops and markets products like ENVARSUS XR, an extended-release tacrolimus formulation. The assignment records primarily reflect inventor assignments, corporate name changes, and internal reorganizations, including the acquisition by Asahi Kasei, rather than transfers to shell entities or known patent assertion entities. The consistent use of specific correspondents across various corporate actions for Veloxis Pharmaceuticals further supports this conclusion. (See USPTO Assignment Center search for Patent Number 8685998: https://assignmentcenter.uspto.gov/ [cite: 2026-05-10T08:39:28.158Z])

Generated 5/31/2026, 12:46:44 AM