Life Sciences

  • April 12, 2024

    Moderna, Pfizer COVID Vax IP Suit Paused Amid PTAB Review

    A Massachusetts federal judge on Friday agreed to pause Moderna Inc.'s COVID-19 vaccine patent infringement suit against Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech until the Patent Trial and Appeal Board weighs in on a pair of patents, issuing a stay despite objections from Moderna.

  • April 12, 2024

    Ex-Biotech CEO Gets 7 Years In Fake COVID Test Case

    A former biotech CEO accused of defrauding investors by touting a phony rapid finger-prick COVID test was sentenced to seven years in prison in D.C. federal court Friday.

  • April 12, 2024

    DEA Unlawfully Pushing Psychedelics Ban, Researcher Says

    A psychedelic research company has asked a Washington federal judge to block the Drug Enforcement Administration from proceeding with its plan to ban two psychedelic substances, saying the agency's process for bringing the matter before an administrative judge has been unlawful.

  • April 12, 2024

    Abbott Labs Gets Price Claims Tossed In Baby Formula MDL

    An Illinois federal judge on Friday threw out a suit from parents alleging that Abbott Laboratories benefited from increased prices during a shortage of baby formula kicked off when one of its facilities was shut down, saying they haven't shown that the company's profits during that time were unjustly retained.

  • April 12, 2024

    Ex-Pfizer Worker's Pal Avoids Prison In Insider Trading Case

    An electrical engineer was sentenced to probation Friday for trading Pfizer Inc.'s stock using confidential tips about the efficacy of its COVID-19 drug, after a Manhattan federal court recognized his decision to voluntarily assist prosecutors with the trial conviction of his friend, a former Pfizer employee who leaked insider information.

  • April 12, 2024

    Trade Groups Urge Senators To Advance Patent Reform Bills

    Groups representing inventors, startups and medical technology companies are putting pressure on U.S. senators to pass bills that would prospectively limit the ability of courts to throw out patent lawsuits, a month after tech industry groups argued the legislation would trigger an onslaught of patent litigation.

  • April 12, 2024

    Woman Pleads Guilty To $1.3M COVID Tax Credit Fraud

    A California woman pled guilty to fraudulently obtaining $2 million in COVID-19 government loans and falsely claiming $1.3 million in tax credits, crimes that could result in a 20-year prison sentence, the U.S. Department of Justice said.

  • April 12, 2024

    Life Sciences Group Of The Year: Latham

    Latham & Watkins LLP marshaled its considerable depth and breadth of experience to score a major Federal Circuit victory and to shepherd biotechnology deals that reached into the 11 figures, earning the firm a nod as one of Law360's 2023 Life Sciences Groups of the Year.

  • April 12, 2024

    US-based MSD Broke Ban On Using 'Merck' In UK, Court Finds

    U.S.-based Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC's use of the "Merck" name on websites and social media breached the terms of a court order barring it from using the name in the U.K. to protect German drugmaker Merck KGaA's rights, a London court ruled Friday.

  • April 12, 2024

    Zoll Says 'Cookie-Cutter' Hack Claims Don't Show Harm

    Zoll Medical Corp. is asking a Boston federal judge to toss a proposed class action brought by medical device customers whose personal information was released during a ransomware attack last year and an earlier data breach in 2019, arguing the consumers weren't actually injured.

  • April 12, 2024

    EU Approves Biotech Co. Illumina's Plan To Divest Grail

    European Union antitrust authorities on Friday approved Illumina's plan to sell off Grail, the latest development in a saga that saw the biotech company reverse course and agree to offload the cancer-screening company after authorities claimed the reacquisition was completed "unlawfully."

  • April 12, 2024

    Asbury Park Escapes Pot Co.'s Zoning Board Conspiracy Suit

    A New Jersey federal court has dismissed a medical cannabis company's suit alleging Asbury Park and its zoning board conspired with a rival to block it from operating a treatment center, saying the complaint fails to support its allegations of the scheme.

  • April 11, 2024

    Sandoz Says Feds Misclassified Generics As 'Innovator Drugs'

    Pharmaceutical company Sandoz Inc. sued the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services in Washington, D.C., federal court on Wednesday, alleging the agency ignored the company's objection to classifying two of its generics as "innovator drugs," which could impact Sandoz's rebate obligations under Medicaid.

  • April 11, 2024

    Fed. Circ. Blocks Alvogen Generic Of Bausch Diarrhea Drug

    The Federal Circuit upheld a decision Thursday that prevents Alvogen from releasing a generic version of Bausch Health's blockbuster diarrhea and brain disease drug Xifaxan until 2029, rejecting Alvogen's bid to launch sooner because it was cleared of infringing some patents.

  • April 11, 2024

    FDA Commissioner Says Congress Must Act On Hemp, CBD

    The commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Thursday that the agency did not consider hemp-derived CBD safe enough to be sold lawfully as a dietary supplement, and urged Congress to create a new pathway to regulate the substance.

  • April 11, 2024

    9th Circ. Nixes 'Super Snap Removals' In Dexcom Suits

    The Ninth Circuit won't let Dexcom Inc. remove three suits alleging its glucose monitoring system is defective to federal court, saying its "super snap removal" motions were premature as they were filed before any of the cases actually commenced.

  • April 11, 2024

    Birth Control Injury Claims Barred From Conn., Court Told

    Connecticut state courts have no basis to exercise jurisdiction over three of the four companies targeted in product liability lawsuits brought by 103 women who claim their Filshie Clip birth control devices migrated within their bodies and caused injuries, counsel for the defendants told a Waterbury judge Thursday.

  • April 11, 2024

    Deals Rumor Mill: US Steel, Germany's Stada, Paramount

    The DOJ opens a probe into Nippon’s proposed $14.9 billion takeover of US Steel, German drugmaker Stada explores a sale, and Paramount and Skydance are hashing out potential deal terms. Here, Law360 breaks down these and other notable deal rumors from the past week.

  • April 11, 2024

    Del. Justices OK Denial Of Icahn-Illumina Midcase Appeal Bid

    Billionaire investor Carl Icahn may not put his Chancery Court litigation against biotechnology company Illumina Inc.'s board on hold for a review of a decision that struck portions of the complaint that were based on confidential information, Delaware's Supreme Court said Thursday, upholding the lower court's rejection of the midcase appeal.

  • April 11, 2024

    Medtronic Can't Ditch Ex-Sales Rep's Retaliation Claim

    Medical device maker Medtronic can't avoid a whistleblower retaliation claim by a former sales rep who says he was pushed out after reporting what he suspected to be a kickback scheme to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, a federal judge said Wednesday.

  • April 11, 2024

    Kirkland, Jones Day Build $787.5M Sale Of Steris' Dental Unit

    Medical device company Steris, advised by Jones Day, on Thursday announced plans to sell its dental segment to Kirkland & Ellis LLP-advised middle market private equity shop Peak Rock Capital for $787.5 million.

  • April 11, 2024

    Life Sciences Group Of The Year: Sullivan & Cromwell

    Sullivan & Cromwell LLP helped Bayer defeat Merck in litigation over asbestos-containing talc liability and guided mega pharma deals such as Pfizer's $43 billion acquisition of Seagen and Amgen's $27.8 billion acquisition of Horizon Therapeutics, earning the firm a spot among Law360's 2023 Life Sciences Groups of the Year.

  • April 10, 2024

    Pfizer Unit Cuts $39M Deal Ending Effexor Antitrust Claims

    A proposed class of direct buyers asked a New Jersey federal judge on Tuesday to approve a $39 million settlement to end allegations that Pfizer Inc. unit Wyeth engaged in a scheme with Teva Pharmaceuticals to delay generic competition for the antidepressant drug Effexor XR.

  • April 10, 2024

    DOJ Hits Regeneron With False Claims Act Suit Over Eylea

    The federal government has brought a False Claims Act intervenor complaint in Massachusetts against Regeneron, alleging the pharmaceutical giant fraudulently withheld information from its Medicare reports seeking reimbursement for its drug Eylea, the U.S. Department of Justice announced Wednesday. 

  • April 10, 2024

    Del. Justices Probe Validity Of Advance Notice Bylaws

    The appeal of a Delaware Chancery Court decision voiding a biopharmaceutical company's "onerous" advance notice requirements for director nominations while upholding the rejection of an activist shareholder's nominees boiled down to one basic legal question at Delaware's Supreme Court Wednesday: Is this a facial or an as-applied challenge?

Expert Analysis

  • Precise Advance Notice Bylaws May Help Prevent Disputes

    Author Photo

    While the Chancery Court's December decision in Kellner v. AIM Immunotech shows that Delaware courts won't always uphold advance notice bylaws, and its willingness to selectively enforce or invalidate individual provisions doesn't create an incentive for companies to be surgical in their drafting, companies should nonetheless be precise when drafting such bylaws to avoid unnecessary disputes, say attorneys at Debevoise.

  • Perspectives

    6 Practice Pointers For Pro Bono Immigration Practice

    Author Photo

    An attorney taking on their first pro bono immigration matter may find the law and procedures beguiling, but understanding key deadlines, the significance of individual immigration judges' rules and specialized aspects of the practice can help avoid common missteps, says Steven Malm at Haynes Boone.

  • Series

    ESG Around The World: Canada

    Author Photo

    In Canada, multiple statutes, regulations, common law and industry guidance address environmental, social and governance considerations, with debate over ESG in the business realm potentially growing on the horizon, say attorneys at Blakes.

  • 5 Legal Considerations For Psychedelic Therapy Sector

    Author Photo

    With multiple developments signaling the rise of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy, it is imperative that clinicians understand unique legal nuances ranging from corporate formation to specialized insurance coverage, say Kimberly Chew and Natasha Sumner at Husch Blackwell.

  • Lessons From Country Singer's Personal Service Saga

    Author Photo

    Recent reports that country singer Luke Combs won a judgment against a Florida woman who didn’t receive notice of the counterfeit suit against her should serve as a reminder for attorneys on best practices for effectuating service by electronic means, say attorneys at Jenner & Block.

  • A Potential Proactive Tool For Public-Private Joint Ventures

    Author Photo

    In the current environment of heightened antitrust enforcement, the National Cooperative Research and Production Act seems tailor-made for the collaborative work among competitors encouraged by the Biden administration's infrastructure and green energy funding legislation, say Jeetander Dulani and Susan Ebner at Stinson.

  • Patent Prosecution Carries Consequences For Later Litigation

    Author Photo

    The Federal Circuit's recent Mylan v. Actelon holding, along with three other 2023 decisions, underscores the continued need for patent prosecutors to make note of potential claim construction issues that may arise in subsequent litigation, says Steven Wood at Hunton.

  • 10 Global Antitrust Trends To Anticipate In 2024

    Author Photo

    Proactive navigation of the antitrust enforcement environment remains crucial this year as legal policy and tools evolve to meet intensifying global economic complexity, including geopolitical tensions, trade realignment, market volatility and inflation, say attorneys at Freshfields.

  • Global Cartel Enforcement Looks Set To Intensify In 2024

    Author Photo

    The cartel enforcement winds may strengthen this year, with the U.S. Department of Justice, as well as regulators in other countries, placing a renewed focus on pursuing international cartels and more traditional, hard-core cartel conduct, say attorneys at Simpson Thacher.

  • Series

    Baking Bread Makes Me A Better Lawyer

    Author Photo

    After many years practicing law, and a few years baking bread, I have learned that there are a few keys to success in both endeavors, including the assembly of a nourishing and resilient culture, and the ability to learn from failure and exercise patience, says Rick Robinson at Reed Smith.

  • Supreme Court Amgen Ruling's Major Effect On Enablement

    Author Photo

    The U.S. Supreme Court's Amgen v. Sanofi invalidity holding continues to significantly affect technologies and all aspects of the patent system by providing confidence in the Federal Circuit's approach and a clearer understanding on enforceability and the disclosure needed for compliance, say Irena Royzman and Daniel Williams at Kramer Levin.

  • Federal Courts And AI Standing Orders: Safety Or Overkill?

    Author Photo

    Several district court judges have issued standing orders regulating the use of artificial intelligence in their courts, but courts should consider following ordinary notice and comment procedures before implementing sweeping mandates that could be unnecessarily burdensome and counterproductive, say attorneys at Curtis.

  • 7 E-Discovery Predictions For 2024 And Beyond

    Author Photo

    The legal and technical issues of e-discovery now affect virtually every lawsuit, and in the year to come, practitioners can expect practices and policies to evolve in a number of ways, from the expanded use of relevancy redactions to mandated information security provisions in protective orders, say attorneys at Littler.

  • Top Considerations For Retailers Using AI To Combat Theft

    Author Photo

    The Federal Trade Commission's recent enforcement action against Rite Aid indicates a significant evolution in the landscape surrounding biometric information and artificial intelligence data collection by retailers, meaning retailers should take reasonable measures to prevent harm to customers, say attorneys at Dentons.

  • 2 FCPA Settlements Illuminate Self-Disclosure, Disgorgement

    Author Photo

    Two of last year’s Foreign Corrupt Practices Act settlements — with biomedical company Lifecore and mining company Corsa Coal — suggest that the government will be much more flexible in negotiating disgorgement amounts if an entity voluntarily self-discloses misconduct, say Michael Gilbert and Lucas Amodio at Sheppard Mullin.

Want to publish in Law360?


Submit an idea

Have a news tip?


Contact us here
Can't find the article you're looking for? Click here to search the Life Sciences archive.
Hello! I'm Law360's automated support bot.

How can I help you today?

For example, you can type:
  • I forgot my password
  • I took a free trial but didn't get a verification email
  • How do I sign up for a newsletter?
Ask a question!