National law firm Armstrong Teasdale announces the addition of Associate Claudia J. Frehe, Ph.D., to the firm’s Intellectual Property practice group. Based in the firm’s Washington, D.C. office, Dr. Frehe has over a decade of life sciences patent prosecution experience.

Her background includes particular depth in antibody therapeutics, gene-editing technologies (including CRISPR and RNA-editing platforms), RNA-based therapeutics, and cell and gene therapy. She draws on her scientific background in clinical immunology, immuno-oncology, and solid organ and stem cell transplantation to craft IP strategies that not only secure strong exclusivity but also support critical business milestones such as raising capital, preparing for an acquisition or IPO, or launching commercially.

By aligning patent strategy with business objectives, Frehe helps translate complex science into scalable, investor-facing assets that provide long-term value. As a patent attorney and previously as a patent agent, she has developed and managed worldwide patent portfolios, drafted and prosecuted patent applications across the life sciences, and is experienced in validity/invalidity, noninfringement, and freedom-to-operate analyses, due diligence, and coordinating worldwide prosecution with foreign associates.

Prior to joining Armstrong Teasdale, Frehe was an associate at another D.C.-area law firm. She earned her Ph.D. from Baylor College of Medicine, where her research focused on developing and testing novel chimeric antigen receptor T cells targeting solid tumors.