Life Sciences
A significant part of our practice is advice to clients with interests in the life sciences sectors, including biotech and pharmaceutical companies and the technology transfer groups of universities.
Key facts about our life sciences practice:
- We have advised seventeen of the current members of the UK BioIndustry Association (BIA), and have been involved in transactions involving another twenty current members (not our clients). Mark Anderson is a former Secretary of the Regulatory Affairs and Intellectual Property Committee of the BIA.
- Significant biotech clients over the years have included Antisoma, Piramed, Sosei, Xenova and YM Biosciences. We are used to working with both publicly-quoted companies and private companies that have institutional or "business angel" investors.
- Our lawyers have attended negotiations over bio-pharma contracts in the US, Japan and other European countries.
- We have also advised leading universities and research institutes on biotech transactions, including Imperial College, University College London and the Flanders Inter-university Institute for Biotechnology.
- In collaboration with lawyers in other European countries, we have written the first book in Europe on biotech transactions, which includes 36 template agreements and commentary (due to be published by Oxford University Press in 2009).
- We regularly give training on bio-pharma transactions, for clients and for commercial conference organisers.
Recent examples of our work include:
- Drafting standard distribution agreements for a European pharmaceutical company
- A disputed termination of a major contract to purchase laboratory equipment, where we assisted our biotech client to obtain a full refund of the price paid, plus a proportion of legal costs
- Negotiations over a management buy-out of part of a listed biotech company
- Advising a Swiss biotech company on a licensing agreement with a well-known UK biotech company
- Terminating a joint venture between a biotech company and a medical charity, including transfer of assets and appointment of a liquidator
- Advising a North American biotech company on its rights under an existing licence agreement with a European licensee
Client example: Piramed Limited
Piramed Limited is a UK biotech company that was incorporated in 2001 and received substantial private investment from 2003 onwards. Its major investors were J.P. Morgan Partners and Merlin Biosciences, which between them invested $17 million in the company. In 2008, the company was acquired by Roche for an upfront payment of $160 million plus certain additional payments.
From 2003 until the company's acquisition by Roche, Anderson & Company advised the company on a wide range of legal matters, including MTAs, CDAs, R&D contracts, agreements relating to clinical trials, IP licence agreements, employment and consultancy issues, share option schemes (including negotiation of share valuation with HMRC), subsequent investment rounds and procurement of major equipment. We have worked closely with various levels of management, including CEO, CSO, Finance Director, business development and research managers.
