The Firm’s life sciences group represents pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical devices companies and provides a full range of legal services to effectuate stock and asset acquisitions and divestitures, mergers, the raising of capital through equity and debt offerings, private placements and venture capital financings and partnering agreements, including joint ventures and strategic alliances. We have a broad range of experience in the negotiating and drafting of commercial agreements in the life sciences field, including research and development agreements, licensing transactions, supply and distribution agreements and contract manufacturing agreements. The life sciences group also obtains intellectual property protection for its life sciences clients, and the Firm’s litigation department represents pharmaceutical companies in civil and criminal proceedings and in arbitrations.

Representative transactions and litigations include:

• Representation of a multibillion dollar U.S. pharmaceutical manufacturer in connection with the divestiture of an affiliate in England.
• General representation of a leading European biotechnology instruments manufacturer, including representation in numerous corporate acquisitions, divestitures and mergers.
• Representation of a European-based multibillion dollar pharmaceutical manufacturer with respect to the protection of its name in the U.S. in anticipation of the merger by which it was formed; preparation for the merger of the two companies’ U.S. operations; effecting the merger; handling the vast post-merger requirements from a corporate standpoint; continuing advice to the U.S. company on specific business problems, relating primarily to operations in Latin America.
• General representation of a major company that markets over-the-counter pharmaceutical products, including taking the company private (by SEC filing and shareholders’ meeting to eliminate the public shareholders) and the sale of a number of over-the-counter product lines.
• Representation of the U.S. subsidiary of a major Japanese manufacturer that produces amino acids, among other products, in various transactions concerning one of its pharmaceutical products.
• Representation of biotechnology companies in obtaining venture capital financing.
• Representation of biotechnology companies in connection with various clinical trial agreements, research and development agreements and license agreements with major pharmaceutical companies.
• Representation of a Scandinavian company formed to acquire and commercialize a patent portfolio of life sciences inventions, including negotiation of patent and know-how license agreements with European and U.S. pharmaceutical companies.
• General representation of the U.S. subsidiary of a European manufacturer of biosensor instruments.
• Representation of a major distributor of precision laboratory equipment in contract negotiations with drug companies as buyers.
• Representation of a company that manufactures medical devices, such as blood glucose meters and other products that measure the amount of a substance present in a sample, in connection with the preparation and negotiation of its product development agreements as well as acquisitions of companies with compatible technology.
• Representation of an American pharmaceutical company in Mexico in connection with the licensing of pharmaceuticals and distribution agreements.
• Representation of a start-up pharmaceutical company in obtaining U.S. and worldwide trademark protection.
• Representation of multinational pharmaceutical companies in clearing trademarks for use and registration in the U.S. and other countries.
• Representation of a herbal supplement manufacturer in clearing and registering trademarks in the U.S.
• Representation of a start-up dental products company seeking to obtain trademark and patent protection.
• Representation of a breath freshening products company in an advertising case over claims of product effectiveness.
• Representation of the German subsidiary of a U.S. pharmaceutical company in an AAA arbitration in New York regarding the non-approval in Europe of a drug for the treatment of herniated discs.
• Representation of a major pharmaceutical manufacturing company in a series of Lanham Act (false advertising) disputes with another pharmaceutical company over the duration of effectiveness of the parties’ respective appetite suppressants.
• Representation of a large U.S. corporation in a criminal prosecution for “misbranding” of a food supplement as a “drug” under the Food and Drug Act, by making medical claims for a product which was not FDA-approved for such use.
• Representation of a major pharmaceutical company in trademark and trade dress infringement litigations.
• Representation in litigation as special counsel to the former owner of a New Jersey-based manufacturer of products for use by the drug industry in sealing and packaging, which included litigation regarding the FDA’s regulations about “good manufacturing practices.”
• Representation of an over-the-counter pharmaceutical manufacturer and of physicians in cases involving adverse reactions, including wrongful death cases.

• Marie-Thérèse Allen (New York)
• Eric L. Gilioli (New York, Milan)
• Lawrence Goodman (New York)
• Valarie A. Hing (New York)
• Eileen P. Matthews (New York)
• Jeremiah T. Mulligan (New York)
• Andrew H. Seiden (New York)
• Eric J. Stenshoel (New York)
• Eero Rautalahti (London)