Deals & Corporate Governance

  • February 15, 2024

    Aurinia Refocusing After Failed Effort To Find A Buyer

    Kidney-focused biotech Aurinia Pharmaceuticals is hitting pause on drug development, cutting jobs and initiating a $150 million stock buyback program, the company disclosed in its year-end financial report Thursday.

  • February 15, 2024

    Lawmakers Push PE Firm For Answers On Steward Health

    A group of lawmakers demanded answers from private equity firm Cerberus Capital Management on Thursday over its relationship with financially troubled Steward Health Care-owned hospitals in Massachusetts, saying that Steward's recent collapse is a "textbook example" of the "grave risks" that come with private equity takeover of the healthcare system.

  • February 15, 2024

    FTC's Khan Calls Healthcare 'Key' To Fight For Competition

    Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan told a conference of physicians the agency is fighting corporate control at several levels of the healthcare industry, touting the sector as a key battleground in the administration's push for more competition across the economy.

  • February 14, 2024

    FTC Seeks Info On 'Powerful Middlemen' Amid Drug Shortages

    The Department of Health and Human Services and the Federal Trade Commission announced Wednesday that they are seeking information on whether legal exemptions for "middlemen" in the generic pharmaceutical market are driving ongoing drug shortages.

  • February 14, 2024

    Adagio Medical Goes Public In $128M SPAC Merger

    Adagio Medical, a catheter ablation tech maker, and Arya Sciences, a special purpose acquisition company, said on Wednesday that they would merge, taking the combined company public at a $128 million value, guided by respective legal adviser Reed Smith and Kirkland.

  • February 14, 2024

    Pharma Co. Humanigen Gets OK For Ch. 11 Sale

    Drug researcher Humanigen Inc. can sell nearly all of its assets to a company formed by its CEO, a Delaware bankruptcy judge ruled Wednesday, after the debtor, the buyer and the official committee of unsecured creditors struck a deal resolving objections to the Chapter 11 sale.

  • February 14, 2024

    Settlements of 3 Drug Cos. Get Prelim OK In Price-Fixing MDL

    A Pennsylvania federal judge granted preliminary approval Wednesday to settlements in which two makers and one distributor of generic drugs agreed to pay a combined $45 million to resolve allegations they colluded to fix the prices of medications, including those used to treat glaucoma, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

  • February 14, 2024

    Biotech Nabs $200M Via Private Placement, Starts CEO Search

    Public gene therapy company enGene Holdings Inc. announced Wednesday that it will sell 20 million of its common shares, raising an anticipated private placement of around $200 million, to fund the development of its lead compound EG-70.

  • February 14, 2024

    KKR Buys Stake In Health Tech Biz Cotiviti At $10.5B Valuation

    Private equity firm KKR & Co. Inc. has agreed to acquire a stake in healthcare analytics company Cotiviti from Veritas Capital, Cotiviti announced Wednesday, in a deal valuing the target at about $10.5 billion.

  • February 14, 2024

    Genetic Testing Co. Invitae Files For Ch. 11 With $1.5B Debt

    California-based genetic testing company Invitae Corp. has filed for Chapter 11 protection in New Jersey with nearly $1.5 billion in debt and what it said is an agreement with senior noteholders to seek a buyer.

  • February 13, 2024

    Insurers Must Pay Pharma Co. Defense Costs In SEC Probe

    A drug development company formed by a merger is entitled to insurance payments for expenses it paid two of its former officers in connection with federal subpoenas because the insurer failed to show that an exclusion applied, a California federal judge ruled Monday.

  • February 13, 2024

    FDA, Creditors Oppose Drugmaker Humanigen's Ch. 11 Sale

    Biopharmaceutical company Humanigen faced fire on multiple fronts Tuesday after it asked the Delaware bankruptcy court to approve a $2 million stalking horse credit bid from its debtor-in-possession lender, an entity founded by the debtor's chief executive, that is opposed by the FDA and certain creditors.

  • February 13, 2024

    Nava Health To Go Public Via $320M SPAC Merger

    Health clinic chain Nava Health is planning on going public through a merger with blank-check company 99 Acquisition Group in a $320 million deal led by two law firms, the companies announced Tuesday.

  • February 13, 2024

    Mallinckrodt Guts IP Suit Amid Oxide Rival's New Drug App

    A Delaware federal judge has dismissed 10 of the originally asserted 14 patents in pharmaceutical company Mallinckrodt's claims against a French industrial gas company over a generic version of its pediatric breathing disorder treatment, as Mallinckrodt filed an amended complaint adding two additional patents to the suit.

  • February 13, 2024

    Catholic Hospital's Religious Status Dooms Vaccine Bias Suit

    A Missouri federal judge granted a win to a Catholic hospital in a former nurse's lawsuit alleging she was fired because her religious beliefs barred her from getting the COVID-19 vaccine, saying it's clearly a religious employer that's immune from her claims.

  • February 13, 2024

    Breast Implant Maker Sientra Hits Ch. 11 With $82M In Debt

    Breast implant maker Sientra Inc. has filed for Chapter 11 protection in Delaware bankruptcy court with $82 million in debt, saying it is seeking a buyer for the business in the face of declining sales.

  • February 12, 2024

    Assure Buys Danam Health To Form $150M Business

    Neurology services company Assure and wellness platform Danam Health said Monday that they will merge in a deal valuing the combined company at roughly $150 million, led by respective legal advisers Dorsey & Whitney LLP and Dykema & Gossett PLLC.

  • February 12, 2024

    Alys Pharmaceuticals Launches With $100M In Financing

    A new immuno-dermatology company created as an amalgamation of six separate startups launched on Monday with $100 million in financing to target dermatological indications.

  • February 12, 2024

    Gilead Buying Liver Disease Drugmaker CymaBay For $4.3B

    Gilead Sciences Inc. said Monday that it has agreed to purchase liver disease-focused clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company CymaBay Therapeutics Inc. for $4.3 billion in cash.

  • February 09, 2024

    Groups Claim NYC Hospital Closing To Liquidate Real Estate

    A community group, tenants associations and other organizations claimed in New York state court that the Mount Sinai Health System's unapproved and "grossly deficient" closure and service reduction plans for Mount Sinai Beth Israel Hospital are attempts to profit from "very, very valuable" Manhattan real estate.

  • February 09, 2024

    FTC Clears AbbVie To Proceed With $10.1B ImmunoGen Buy

    The 30-day waiting period for U.S. antitrust enforcers to review AbbVie's $10.1 billion purchase of ImmunoGen came and went without a move to deepen the investigation or challenge the deal, clearing the parties to close the agreement on or about Monday, ImmunoGen said on Thursday.

  • February 09, 2024

    Goodwin-Led Gene Editing Firm Metagenomi Raises $94M IPO

    Preclinical biotech Metagenomi began trading publicly on Friday, raising $94 million by offering 6.25 million shares at $15, the low end of the $15 to $17 range it had set earlier in the week.

  • February 09, 2024

    What To Know About 'Novel' Johnson & Johnson ERISA Suit

    A new lawsuit from a Johnson & Johnson worker claims the company violated federal law by letting pharmacy benefit manager Express Scripts overcharge health plan participants for drugs, potentially signaling that fee litigation under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act is shifting focus from retirement savings to health benefits, attorneys say.

  • February 08, 2024

    BioNTech Puts $200M Into Collab With Cancer Biotech Autolus

    German immunotherapy company BioNTech will inject $200 million into cancer-focused biotechnology firm Autolus Therapeutics PLC as part of a strategic collaboration announced Thursday.

  • February 08, 2024

    Biotech Co. Neurona Therapeutics Raises $120M

    Clinical stage biotech company Neurona Therapeutics announced Thursday that it raised $120 million to advance the development of its lead treatment NRTX-1001 as well as other preclinical programs.

Expert Analysis

  • ABA's Money-Laundering Resolution Is A Balancing Act

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    While the American Bar Association’s recently passed resolution recognizes a lawyer's duty to discontinue representation that could facilitate money laundering and other fraudulent activity, it preserves, at least for now, the delicate balance of judicial, state-based regulation of the legal profession and the sanctity of the attorney-client relationship, say attorneys at Ballard Spahr.

  • FTC Settlements Widen Efforts To Shield Health Data

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    The Federal Trade Commission's recent enforcement actions aim to send a clear message that companies using tracking technologies should carefully monitor the sharing of sensitive data, particularly in the mental health, substance use disorder treatment and reproductive health care fields, say attorneys at Choate.

  • Law Firm Professional Development Steps To Thrive In AI Era

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    As generative artificial intelligence tools rapidly evolve, professional development leaders are instrumental in preparing law firms for the paradigm shifts ahead, and should consider three strategies to help empower legal talent with the skills required to succeed in an increasingly complex technological landscape, say Steve Gluckman and Anusia Gillespie at SkillBurst Interactive.

  • HHS Neuromonitoring Advisory May Have Broad Relevance

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    The Health Department Office of Inspector General's recent advisory opinion rejecting a neuromonitoring service's proposal for a shell arrangement isn't surprising, but it could be a harbinger of more warnings against problematic joint venture arrangements to come, says Mary Kohler at Kohler Health Law.

  • Merger Proposals Reflect Agency Leaders' Antitrust Principles

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    Attorneys at Covington trace the recently proposed Hart-Scott-Rodino and merger guidelines changes to certain foundational concerns of the Federal Trade Commission and U.S. Department of Justice Antitrust Division leadership, including issues related to concentration associated with horizontal and vertical mergers.

  • The Basics Of Being A Knowledge Management Attorney

    Excerpt from Practical Guidance
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    Michael Lehet at Ogletree Deakins discusses the role of knowledge management attorneys at law firms, the common tasks they perform and practical tips for lawyers who may be considering becoming one.

  • Challenging Standing In Antitrust Classes: The Uninjured

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    In virtually every antitrust class action, parties at the certification phase disagree about whether the proposed class includes uninjured members, but the goals of Rule 23 and judicial economy are best served by synthesizing two distinct approaches circuit courts take on this issue, say Michael Hamburger and Holly Tao at White & Case.

  • What Big Tobacco's Cannabis Investments Mean For Market

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    The tobacco industry appears to be shoring up investments in the cannabis market, most recently with Philip Morris’ purchase of an Israeli cannabis tech company, pointing to a bright future for vaped and noncombustible products, and signaling that marijuana rescheduling may be on the horizon, say Slates Veazey and Whitt Steineker at Bradley Arant.

  • To Hire And Keep Top Talent, Think Beyond Compensation

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    Firms seeking to appeal to sophisticated clients and top-level partners should promote mentorship, ensure that attorneys from diverse backgrounds feel valued, and clarify policies about at-home work, says Patrick Moya at Quaero Group.

  • How Merger Review Overhaul Could Affect Health Industry

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    For those in the health care industry considering growth and expansion strategies, the antitrust agencies' recent proposals for new Hart-Scott-Rodino rules and more complex merger guidelines will increase deal timelines, the merging parties' burden, and overall uncertainty and potential antitrust risk as to the outcome, say attorneys at Husch Blackwell.

  • More States Should Join Effort To Close Legal Services Gap

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    Colorado is the most recent state to allow other types of legal providers, not just attorneys, to offer specific services in certain circumstances — and more states should rethink the century-old assumptions that shape our current regulatory rules, say Natalie Anne Knowlton and Janet Drobinske at the University of Denver.

  • Identifying Trends And Tips In Litigation Financing Disclosure

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    Growing interest and controversy in litigation financing raise several salient concerns, but exploring recent compelled disclosure trends from courts around the country can help practitioners further their clients' interests, say Sean Callagy and Samuel Sokolsky at Arnold & Porter.

  • Bid Protest Spotlight: Personnel Loss, Conflicts, Timeliness

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    In this month's bid protest roundup, Locke Bell at MoFo highlights recent decisions from the U.S. Court of Federal Claims and the U.S. Government Accountability Office, addressing an offeror's loss of key personnel, organizational conflicts of interest arising out of reliance on former government employees in preparing a bid, and protest timeliness when no debriefing is required.