Matthew O. Duffey, PhD

Associate | Pharmaceutical

Education

BS, Chemistry, Virginia Tech, summa cum laude

PhD, Organic Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
JD, Suffolk University Law School, magna cum laude

Key Technologies

Small Molecule Pharmaceuticals
Drug Compositions & Formulations
Drug Delivery Methods
Antibody-Drug Conjugates
Assay Methods & Compositions
Polymer Compositions
Organic Light-Emitting Devices
Optical Materials

Practice Groups

Pharmaceutical

Admitted to Practice

Massachusetts
New York
US Patent and Trademark Office

Location

New York

Overview

Matt Duffey counsels clients in creating and carrying out strategies for protecting intellectual property, including patent prosecution and opinion work in chemical, biochemical, and pharmaceutical technologies.

Having a background as both a scientist and inventor, Matt provides valuable insight to firm clients. In particular, Matt draws on his extensive knowledge of organic and medicinal chemistry, including reaction methods development, complex organic synthesis, and drug discovery and development.

Prior to his law practice, Matt was a medicinal chemist in oncology drug discovery at Millennium Pharmaceuticals (now Takeda Pharmaceuticals) engaging in all aspects of small molecule drug discovery for several biological targets. There, he contributed to multiple therapeutics reaching clinical development and was a co-inventor on at least 10 issued US patents.

Matt earned his PhD in organic chemistry from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and was a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Pennsylvania. His research encompassed asymmetric catalysis, new organic reaction methods, and natural product synthesis.

Activities

Boston Intellectual Property Law Association
Active in pro bono work with New England Innocence Project
As a law student, Matt worked in Suffolk University Law School’s Innocence Clinic, which partners with Massachusetts’ Committee for Public Counsel Services Innocence Program and the New England Innocence Project to identify and overturn wrongful criminal convictions.

Recognition

NIH Postdoctoral Fellowship – University of Pennsylvania
Burroughs-Wellcome Fellowship – University of North Carolina
Phi Beta Kappa – Virginia Tech

Publications

June 5, 2025

Practical Guide to Claiming Small Molecules with Functional Language

Scientific Publications

“Discovery of TAK-981, a First-in-Class Inhibitor of SUMO-Activating Enzyme for the Treatment of Cancer.” J. Med. Chem. 2021, 64, 2501-2520.
“Probing the roles of SUMOylation in cancer cell biology by using a selective SAE inhibitor.” Nature Chemical Biology, 2017, 13, 1164-1171.
“Discovery of a potent and orally bioavailable benzolactam-derived inhibitor of Polo-Like Kinase 1 (MLN0905).” J. Med. Chem. 2012, 55, 197.
“MLN0905, a small-molecule PLK1 inhibitor, induces antitumor responses in human models of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.” Mol. Cancer Ther. 2012, 11, 2045.
“Design and optimization of potent and orally bioavailable tetrahydronaphthalene Raf inhibitors.” J. Med. Chem. 2011, 54, 1836.
“Discovery and optimization of pyrazoline compounds as B-Raf inhibitors.” Bioorg. Med. Chem. Lett. 2010, 20, 4800.
“Discovery and optimization of N-acyl and N-aroylpyrazolines as B-Raf kinase inhibitors.” Bioorg. Med. Chem. Lett. 2010, 20, 4795.
“Total syntheses of the assigned structures of Lituarines B and C.” J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2008, 130, 422.
“Diversity-Oriented synthesis of polyketide natural products via iterative chemo- and stereoselective functionalization of polyenoates: development of a unified approach for the C(1-19) segments of Lituarines A-C” Org. Lett. 2005, 7, 139.
“Bifunctional molecular linchpins: A three-component coupling protocol employing 2-bromoallyltrimethylsilane.” Synlett 2004, 16, 1363.
“Enantioselective synthesis of Borrelidin.” J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2003, 125, 1459.
“Enantio- and diastereoselective reductive aldol reactions with iridium-Pybox catalysts.” Org. Lett. 2001, 3, 1829.
“Rhodium-catalyzed enantioselective reductive aldol reaction.” J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2000, 122, 4528.
“Simple metal alkoxides as effective catalysts for the hetero-aldol-Tishchenko reaction.” Org. Lett. 1999, 1, 1427.