We are a multi-jurisdiction, cross-practice sector team trusted by the world’s leading life sciences and healthcare companies.

Our global team works with some of the most innovative and successful life sciences and healthcare companies. We combine scientific knowledge, legal expertise and the resources of an elite global firm to deliver innovative and value-enhancing solutions which enable our clients to achieve their strategic goals.

We offer our clients a fully comprehensive service including: 

  • M&A / Corporate: Recognised for doing the most complex, cross-border deals with broad experience across the industry spectrum including pharmaceutical and biotech companies, devices, diagnostics, API, CRO, CMO/CDMO, marketing sales and distribution companies and other pharma services players.
  • Disputes: One of the largest practices globally with over 750 fee earners. We are experienced in disputes arising from commercial agreements and collaborations in the sector, including R&D, licensing, supply, distribution and co-promotion. Our top-tier class actions team brings experience in defending life sciences companies in complex, multi-jurisdictional litigation.
  • Intellectual property: Globally recognised as market leaders, particularly in patent litigation, we having acted on many of the highest-selling pharmaceutical products and most significant medical devices disputes in the market.
  • Regulatory: We advise development-stage, speciality and established global life sciences and healthcare companies on complex, commercially significant regulatory issues across the life cycle of pharmaceutical and biotech products and medical devices. Our work spans both contentious and non-contentious matters, from product development and regulatory compliance to the optimisation of IP and regulatory rights, exclusivities and incentives, market access strategy, disputes, litigation and regulatory enforcement.
  • Competition: A sector specialist team working alongside our corporate and disputes teams across the full spectrum of competition law matters, including merger control, FDI, cartels and investigations, agreements and partnerships, competition litigation and compliance, state aid and subsidy control.
  • Corporate crime and investigations: Our global white-collar crime and government investigations team advise clients in the sector extensively on corporate criminal and regulatory matters (including in relation to internal and government-facing investigations, defending clients with enforcement actions, and helping to develop and implement compliance programmes).
     

Life sciences experience

Dr Reddy’s

Advising on its £500 million acquisition of Haleon’s Nicotine Replacement Therapy business

Roche

Advised in defending UK High Court proceedings brought by Accord Healthcare, which sought the revocation of two patents protecting Roche's Herceptin subcutaneous formulation

AbbVie

Advising on its US$63 billion acquisition of Allergan and clearance subject to commitments negotiated with the European Commission

A major global pharmaceuticals company

Advised in its complete victory in a US$300 million SIAC arbitration arising out of licensing and R&D agreements

Gilead

Advising on a multi-jurisdictional patent dispute, including UK litigation and proceedings before the CJEU regarding its leading blockbuster HIV therapy, Truvada®. We also assisted Gilead in a similar manner in relation to Biktarvy® and Sovaldi®

Boston Scientific

Advised on a product liability class action relating to marketing, promoting and distributing medical mesh implants.

How can we help you?

An in-depth look at our global team's sector expertise

Download our brochure

Life Sciences Notes

Find analysis of the latest legal developments relevant to the life sciences sector

Subscribe to our blog

Key contacts

Alan Montgomery photo

Alan Montgomery

Partner, Head of Life Sciences Sector, Chair of India Group, London

Chris Parker KC photo

Chris Parker KC

Partner, Head of Life Sciences Sector, London

Natalie Bryce photo

Natalie Bryce

Partner, Head of Healthcare Sector, Brisbane

Life sciences and healthcare