Deals & Corporate Governance

  • March 18, 2024

    Leerink Enticed Goldman Exec With False Promises, Suit Says

    An investment banker says she was lured away from a senior position at Goldman Sachs to Boston-based Leerink Partners with what turned out to be a meaningless job title and false promises of guaranteed bonuses, according to a lawsuit filed Monday in Massachusetts state court.

  • March 18, 2024

    Pfizer To Reduce Stake In Haleon To 24% Through Share Sale

    Haleon PLC said Monday that U.S. pharmaceutical titan Pfizer Inc. will reduce its stake in the British consumer healthcare company to 24%.

  • March 15, 2024

    'Cobra Venom' Painkiller Co. Inks Deal To Settle SEC Claims

    A penny stock company that previously held itself out as a maker of cobra venom-infused pain drugs has agreed to resolve U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission fraud claims, according to court filings that note the company's two principals have also reached a settlement.

  • March 15, 2024

    Hospitals Say Constitutional Defenses Valid In FTC Merger Row

    Two North Carolina hospital systems shot back at the Federal Trade Commission's contention that constitutional defenses are immaterial to the agency's challenge of a $320 million merger plan, arguing that case law shows that striking the positions would be premature.

  • March 14, 2024

    Clinicians May Continue Kickback Suit Vs. Mental Health Co.

    A mental healthcare company can't dodge a suit claiming that it implemented a kickback scheme to pay its clinicians that led to unpaid wages, an Arizona federal judge ruled, saying the workers suing the organization supported their claims.

  • March 14, 2024

    PE-Backed Latin American Healthcare Firm Prices $420M IPO

    Private equity-backed Latin American hospital operator Auna SA on Thursday set a price range on an estimated $420 million U.S. initial public offering, with plans to use the proceeds to repay debt and financing agreements.

  • March 14, 2024

    Drug Wholesalers Want Preliminary OK On $265M Sandoz Deal

    A group of direct purchasers of generic drugs has asked a Pennsylvania federal court for approval of a $265 million settlement with Swiss drugmaker Sandoz over allegations of federal antitrust violations.

  • March 13, 2024

    TriZetto's $200M Jury Awards Thrown Out In Syntel Dispute

    A New York federal judge on Wednesday vacated roughly $200 million in damages awards Cognizant affiliate TriZetto won in a trade secret misappropriation and copyright infringement suit against Syntel, ruling that the awards were improperly calculated.

  • March 13, 2024

    Hospital Operator Defends Releases In Ch. 11 Plan

    California-based hospital operator Alecto Healthcare Services LLC asked a Delaware bankruptcy judge Wednesday to approve its small business Chapter 11 reorganization, saying it is not leaving money on the table by releasing potential clawback claims.

  • March 13, 2024

    Moderna's CLO Saw Growth In 2023 Compensation

    Moderna Inc.'s top attorney earned about $4.3 million in total compensation last year, an increase compared to 2022 but a steep drop from the near $11.5 million she saw in 2021, according to a recent securities filing.

  • March 12, 2024

    Breast Implant Co.'s $90M DIP OK'd With Creditor Protections

    Bankrupt breast implant maker Sientra Inc. received final court approval in Delaware bankruptcy court for its $90 million debtor-in-possession financing after adding in lien challenge protections for unsecured creditors.

  • March 12, 2024

    UnitedHealth Can't Get Early Win In Workers' ERISA Suit

    A Minnesota federal court denied most of UnitedHealth Group Inc.'s bid for a pretrial win in a lawsuit alleging mismanagement of an employee 401(k) plan, finding Tuesday that allegations the company refused to ax underperforming funds to preserve a business relationship with Wells Fargo should go to trial.

  • March 11, 2024

    Acadia Investors Get Class Cert. In Suit Over Parkinson's Drug

    A California federal judge on Monday certified a class of Acadia Pharmaceuticals investors in a lawsuit accusing the company of making false and misleading statements regarding the likelihood that its Parkinson's psychosis drug would also be approved for the broader use of dementia-related psychosis.

  • March 11, 2024

    Illumina Brass Faces Shareholder Suit Over Grail Deal Debacle

    Current and former directors and executives of Illumina, including former U.S. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, have been hit with a shareholder derivative suit in California federal court over their role in the biotech company's failed $8 billion deal to reacquire its cancer-detection company Grail Inc.

  • March 11, 2024

    Judge OKs Eye Care Tech Co.'s $8M DIP Request

    A Texas bankruptcy judge on Monday approved optometry software company Eye Care Leaders Portfolio Holdings LLC's request to draw on the remainder of its $8 million in debtor-in-possession funds for its Chapter 11 case, saying the company had given good reason to believe it was poised for a rewarding auction.

  • March 11, 2024

    Walmart Fails To Sink Feds' Opioid Crisis Lawsuit

    A Delaware federal judge on Monday kept alive a government lawsuit accusing Walmart of fueling the nation's opioid crisis, ruling that the company could be held liable for filling illegitimate prescriptions its compliance officers allegedly failed to flag for unwitting pharmacists.

  • March 08, 2024

    Deadline Drama Briefly Threatens Suit Against Insurer VSP

    A California federal judge threatened Thursday to toss Total Vision's antitrust claims accusing eye care insurance giant VSP of hamstringing it, in what appears to be a misreading of the schedule over missed deadlines that were actually pushed back, prompting the threat's retraction the next day.

  • March 08, 2024

    UK Enforcers To Appeal Nixed £100M Hydrocortisone Fine

    Britain's competition enforcer is planning to appeal a tribunal's ruling that upended more than £100 million ($128.6 million) in fines against several drug companies for allegedly reaching agreements that increased the price of hydrocortisone tablets.

  • March 08, 2024

    Sorrento Gets OK For $2M Ch. 11 Funding Infusion, Asset Sale

    A Texas bankruptcy judge on Friday approved drug developer Sorrento Therapeutics Inc.'s bid for an asset sale and $2 million in funds to fuel its Chapter 11 case, saying they represented the only option outside of a transition to Chapter 7.

  • March 08, 2024

    Pa. Court Grants Seizure Of Nursing Homes In 'Dire' Condition

    A Pennsylvania federal court has granted an emergency request for a receiver to take control of six nursing homes in the state that Revere Tactical Opportunities REIT LLC claims were left in a "dire financial condition" by the properties' owners, who had also allegedly defaulted on a $30 million loan.

  • March 07, 2024

    Harpoon Shareholder Sues For Records On $680M Merck Buy

    A shareholder of Harpoon Therapeutics Inc. sued in Delaware's Court of Chancery Thursday for corporate documents related to the company's proposed $680 million cash buyout by Merck, saying the proposed deal appears to unfairly "lock in a windfall for select Harpoon investors."

  • March 07, 2024

    Activist Caligan Sets Sights On Anika Therapeutics Again

    New York-based activist investor Caligan Partners LP disclosed a nearly 10% stake in Anika Therapeutics and nominated two director candidates, a move that comes a year after the hedge fund urged the biotech company to consider "urgent changes" to its operations and structure.

  • March 06, 2024

    J&J Seeks Exit From Suit Over Stelara Exclusivity

    Johnson & Johnson told a Virginia federal court Tuesday it shouldn't have to face a proposed class action claiming it has been trying to stifle competition in the market for the immunosuppressive drug Stelara, saying there was no "scheme" to enforce its patents as the suit alleges.

  • March 06, 2024

    FTC Can Depose Hospitals' Execs In Merger Challenge

    A North Carolina federal magistrate judge has overruled two hospital systems' objections to the depositions of six Novant Health employees by the Federal Trade Commission in its antitrust action against a proposed $320 million merger, rejecting the healthcare providers' arguments that such depositions would be duplicative.

  • March 06, 2024

    Biopharmaceutical Biz Closes $259M Upsized Funding Round

    South San Francisco, California-based clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company Alumis Inc. on Wednesday announced that it closed its upsized Series C funding round after securing $259 million from venture capital investors.

Expert Analysis

  • Unpacking OMB's Proposed Uniform Guidance Rewrite

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    Affected organizations, including state and local governments, should carefully review the Office of Management and Budget's proposed overhaul of uniform rules for administering over $1 trillion in federal funding distributed each year, and take the opportunity to submit comments before the December deadline, says Dismas Locaria at Venable.

  • Judicial Independence Needs Defense Amid Political Threats

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    Amid recent and historic challenges to the judiciary from political forces, safeguarding judicial independence and maintaining the integrity of the legal system is increasingly urgent, says Robert Peck at the Center for Constitutional Litigation.

  • FDI Considerations For UK Venture Capital Transactions

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    With the U.K. National Security and Investment Act highlighting foreign direct investment matters for venture capital transactions, investors dealing with companies connected to the U.K. should be alive to how the act's requirements can affect deal timelines, structures and terms, say lawyers at Covington.

  • How Law Firms Can Use Account-Based Marketing Strategies

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    Amid several evolving legal industry trends, account-based marketing can help law firms uncover additional revenue-generating opportunities with existing clients, with key considerations ranging from data analytics to relationship building, say Jennifer Ramsey at stage LLC and consultant Gina Sponzilli.

  • A Reminder For Drug Cos. To Confirm Orange Book Listings

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    A recent policy statement from the Federal Trade Commission highlights the legal danger that pharmaceutical companies can face for improperly listing patents in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Orange Book, which is also an issue in the context of Hatch-Waxman litigation, say attorneys at Kirkland.

  • Strategic Succession Planning At Law Firms Is Crucial

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    Senior partners' reluctance to retire, the rise of the nonequity partner tier and generational differences in expectations are all contributing to an increasing number of departures from BigLaw, making it imperative for firms to encourage retirement among senior ranks and provide clearer leadership pathways to junior attorneys, says Laura Leopard at Leopard Solutions.

  • FTC's Health Co. Suit Indicates Agency's Private Equity Focus

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    The Federal Trade Commission's latest lawsuit against an anesthesia company and its private equity investor highlights the agency's willingness to regulate the health care industry even when relevant acquisitions are relatively dated or when the controlling entity's economic interest is under 50%, say attorneys at Simpson Thacher.

  • Top 4 Antitrust Enforcement Issues In Health Care Today

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    The Federal Trade Commission's recent lawsuit against U.S. Anesthesia Partners exemplifies antitrust enforcement authorities' efforts to aggressively reshape the health care industry, ranging from new proposed rules to withdrawals of previous guidance, say attorneys at Fried Frank.

  • Calif. Climate Disclosure Bills Promise Challenges For Cos.

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    Two novel climate disclosure bills recently passed by the California Legislature will pose challenges for many businesses — especially private companies that are less familiar with climate-related reporting obligations — and will require investments of significant time and effort in processes, procedures and personnel, say John Rousakis and Chris Bowman at O'Melveny.

  • Maximizing Law Firm Profitability In Uncertain Times

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    As threats of an economic downturn loom, firms can boost profits by embracing the power of bottom-line management and creating an ecosystem where strategic financial oversight and robust timekeeping practices meet evolved client relations, says Shireen Hilal at Maior Strategic Consulting.

  • 7 Common Compliance Pitfalls For Multistate Pharmacies

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    In light of a California bill recently introduced to prevent medication errors at understaffed chain pharmacies — which could add yet another regulatory hurdle for certain establishments operating across the U.S. — pharmacies operating in multistate capacities must proactively mitigate operational risks, say attorneys at Troutman Pepper.

  • 5th Circ. Ruling Reminds Attys That CBP Can Search Devices

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    The Fifth Circuit’s recent Malik v. Department of Homeland Security decision adds to the chorus of federal courts holding that border agents don’t need a warrant to search travelers’ electronic devices, so attorneys should consider certain special precautions to secure privileged information when reentering the U.S., says Jennifer Freel at Jackson Walker.

  • ESG Around The World: European Union

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    As the EU makes ESG regulation a priority, companies — both those based in the EU and others just doing business there — need to keep abreast of myriad new legislation that has either already taken effect or will in the near future, as noncompliance could result in fines, damages and director liability, say attorneys at Steptoe & Johnson.