Business transactions

The life sciences sector

The life sciences sector is made up of a broad set of industries, such as pharmaceuticals, medical technology (devices and diagnostics), biotechnology, plant protection and cosmetics. Within each of these industries are many subdivisions or specialisms. For example, within pharmaceuticals there are chemical compounds, active pharmaceutical ingredients, or chemical entities (which are more commonly known as small molecules). There are also biologically derived products used in pharmaceuticals, such as monoclonal antibodies and cell therapies. In addition, there are products at the borderline of pharmaceuticals, eg foodstuffs, which may be processed to have particular designed health benefits.

The highly regulated and highly technical nature of the life sciences industry can give rise to particular issues/challenges when advising on business transactions involving organisations operating in this space. Consequently, lawyers advising on such business transactions need to be alive to and understand the facets of the sector.

Mergers and acquisitions

In recent years, the life sciences sector has experienced significant merger and acquisition (M&A) activity. A number of factors have driven deal flow in the industry, including: progress in developing efficacious therapies, the need for mid-size and larger

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