Life Sciences

  • January 27, 2025

    Jury Will Decide $140M Intuitive Robo-Surgery Antitrust Case

    A federal judge on Monday rejected dueling requests for directed verdicts at the wrap of a $140 million antitrust trial over claims that Intuitive Surgical abused its market power in barring a repair provider's refurbished part for Intuitive's surgery robot, saying there's "substantial evidence" for jurors to decide on the parties' claims and counterclaims.

  • January 27, 2025

    2 Firms Want To Co-Lead Humacyte Investor Suit

    Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP and Pomerantz LLP have asked to co-lead a proposed class of Humacyte Inc. investors alleging that the company failed to disclose quality assurance issues at its manufacturing facilities, which delayed regulatory review for its bioengineered blood vessel product candidate.

  • January 27, 2025

    FOIA Lawsuit Seeks Marijuana Docs From Health Officials

    A nonprofit that advocates for government transparency has filed a federal lawsuit under the Freedom of Information Act seeking to push federal health regulators to release internal communications related to their recommendation to loosen restrictions on marijuana.

  • January 27, 2025

    Obesity-Focused Metsera Leads Biotech Firms Eyeing IPOs

    Obesity-focused drug developer Metsera launched plans on Monday for an estimated $275 million initial public offering, joined by kidney-disease focused Maze Therapeutics, both of which plan to tap the markets this week under combined guidance of four law firms.

  • January 27, 2025

    Investors Sue Pharma Co. After Cancer Drug Trial Termination

    Prostate cancer treatment developer ESSA Pharma Inc. has been hit with a proposed shareholder class action in Wisconsin federal court alleging company shares fell over 70% after the company announced that it was terminating a clinical trial when it discovered its lead product candidate was not as effective as an existing treatment for certain cancer patients.

  • January 27, 2025

    J&J Talc Unit's $9B Ch. 11 Plan Draws Slew Of Objections

    The U.S. Trustee's Office and lawyers representing talc claimants have urged a Texas bankruptcy judge to reject a Johnson & Johnson spinoff's $9 billion plan to settle thousands of cancer claims through Chapter 11, arguing the proposed reorganization must fail because the bankruptcy case was filed in bad faith.

  • January 27, 2025

    Novo Nordisk's Obesity Drug Study Allegedly Duped Investors

    Novo Nordisk was hit with a proposed securities class action in New Jersey federal court Friday, accusing the drugmaker of duping investors about its new weight loss drug CagriSema by failing to disclose that obesity patients were taking different dosages in a clinical study, which allegedly skewed results.

  • January 27, 2025

    Cencora CLO's Pay Package Nearly Doubled In 2024

    The chief legal officer of Cencora Inc. received a $3 million stock boost that raised her total compensation in 2024 to nearly double the previous year.

  • January 27, 2025

    Justices Turn Away Venue Row In Zantac Carcinogen Claims

    The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday declined to review the Second Circuit's split decision that Connecticut state court is the right venue for consolidated claims brought against multiple pharmaceutical companies over alleged carcinogens in heartburn medication Zantac.

  • January 25, 2025

    Trump Revives Federal Anti-Abortion Policies

    President Donald Trump issued two executive orders Friday targeting abortion inside and outside the United States, reinstating a ban on federal funding for certain international family planning groups and revoking a pair of Biden-era directives supporting abortion access.

  • January 24, 2025

    Intuitive Doesn't Owe 'Free-Riding' Firm $140M, Expert Says

    Robotic surgery pioneer Intuitive Surgical isn't a monopolist since it competes with other surgery options and a "free-riding" surgical repair company isn't due up to $140 million in profits allegedly lost due to Intuitive blocking its unauthorized part-refurbishment service, an economist testified Friday in a California antitrust trial.

  • January 24, 2025

    Senate Bill Not Seen As Death Knell For Skinny Label Suits

    A Senate bill aiming to protect generic-drug makers from patent suits when using so-called skinny labels could give the law more clarity if passed, but it likely wouldn't halt such cases since they involve issues that are more complex than lawmakers may realize, attorneys say.

  • January 24, 2025

    Pfizer To Pay $59M Over Unit's Migraine Drug Kickbacks

    The U.S. Department of Justice announced Friday that Pfizer has agreed in New York federal court to pay $59.7 million to resolve allegations that one of its subsidiaries caused false Medicare claims by paying kickbacks to physicians to induce prescriptions of migraine drug Nurtec ODT.

  • January 24, 2025

    Justices To Clarify Article III Standing For Certified Classes

    The U.S. Supreme Court granted LabCorp's request on Friday to clarify federal law regarding whether district courts can certify class actions when some members of the proposed class may lack a cognizable injury in fact.

  • January 24, 2025

    Ill. Justices OK Workers' Injury Suits Over Dormant Diseases

    The Illinois Supreme Court answered the Seventh Circuit's call on Friday to clarify the state's Workers' Occupational Diseases Act in a widow's wrongful death lawsuit against Goodrich Corp., finding the statute can apply to claims for asbestos-related cancer and other diseases that manifest belatedly despite the statute's other temporal restrictions.

  • January 24, 2025

    Del. Justices Reject Investor Suit Over Dropped Drug Prospect

    Delaware's Supreme Court on Friday upheld a Court of Chancery decision dismissing a Ception Therapeutics Inc. stockholder suit alleging breaches of an agreement to use commercially reasonable efforts before Cephalon Inc., which acquired Ception, and Teva Pharmaceuticals USA Inc. abandoned a new drug prospect.

  • January 24, 2025

    IVF Patients Want CooperSurgical Embryo Loss Suits Joined

    Four product liability lawsuits targeting the maker of recalled culture media for in vitro fertilization should be consolidated and sent to the Connecticut Superior Court's complex litigation docket, the parties have agreed, but defendant CooperSurgical Inc. wants them kept out of Stamford.

  • January 24, 2025

    Biotech Co. Defends Antitrust Counterclaims Against Rival

    Biotech company Zymo Research Corp. is defending its claims that German diagnostic competitor Qiagen GmbH's infringement suit is nothing more than an attempt to discredit a competitor, saying Zymo offered to prove it wasn't ripping off Qiagen's tech, only to have Qiagen bury "its head in the sand" and file suit.

  • January 24, 2025

    Venture-Backed IPO Recovery Could Be Muted, Report Says

    The expected recovery for venture-backed initial public offerings in 2025 will likely be muted, a capital markets research firm said Friday, given investors' persistent concerns about valuation and delayed interest rate cuts that may not happen until midyear.

  • January 23, 2025

    Intuitive Judge Walks Back 'Inappropriate' Witness Instruction

    Counsel for Intuitive Surgical objected Thursday to a California federal judge's "inappropriate instruction" to a witness testifying in a trial over allegations it abused its market power by blocking hospitals from using a refurbished part for its surgery robot, prompting the judge to walk back the direction.

  • January 23, 2025

    4th Circ. Reads Kickback Law Broadly In Loss For Big Pharma

    The Fourth Circuit on Thursday affirmed a Virginia federal judge's ruling against a pharmaceuticals industry-backed charity looking to weaken the Anti-Kickback Statute, holding that a proposed program for helping patients cover the cost of drugs could indeed constitute a quid pro quo.

  • January 23, 2025

    GoodRx, PBMs Sued Over Alleged Generics Price-Fix Scheme

    GoodRx and pharmacy benefit managers, including CVS Caremark and Express Scripts, formed a "cartel" to execute a price-fixing scheme by sharing pricing information and agreeing not to outbid each other for reimbursement rates paid to pharmacies for generic drugs, alleges a proposed class action filed Wednesday in California federal court.

  • January 23, 2025

    Unsigned Bladder Drug Patent Deal Not Binding, Judge Rules

    A federal judge has rejected Astellas Pharma's request to enforce a purported settlement with MSN Pharmaceuticals in a patent dispute over MSN's planned generic version of an overactive bladder drug, holding that the deal is not binding because MSN never signed it.

  • January 23, 2025

    Ex-J&J Exec Accused Of File Theft Has Died, Court Told

    A former competitive strategy director for Johnson & Johnson accused of stealing confidential files when he left the company to work for Pfizer has died, according to a court filing.

  • January 23, 2025

    GenapSys Says Paul Hastings Can't Keep Privileged Docs

    GenapSys is pushing back on Paul Hastings LLP's bid to force it to turn over documents that it had inadvertently released during discovery in a legal malpractice suit alleging that the law firm improperly drafted board documents that led to the "demise and liquidation" of the genetic-sequencing company.

Expert Analysis

  • In Terror Case, DC Circ. Must Weigh Justices' Twitter Ruling

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    When the D.C. Circuit hears oral argument in AstraZeneca UK v. Atchley, how the court interprets the U.S. Supreme Court's 2023 ruling in Twitter v. Taamneh will have a significant impact on future claims brought under the Anti-Terrorism Act and Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act, say attorneys at Lewis Baach.

  • Marching In On Orange Book Drugs May Have Limited Effect

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    Statistical analysis shows that marching in on Orange Book drug patent holders to require additional licensees would have a relatively minimal impact on drug prices, and should be weighed against the harms it could have on pharmaceutical innovation, say researchers at Competition Dynamics.

  • Series

    Being A Navy Reservist Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Serving this country in uniform has not only been one of the greatest honors of my life, but it has also provided me with opportunities to broaden my legal acumen and interpersonal skills in ways that have indelibly contributed to my civilian practice, says Phillip Smith at Weinberg Wheeler.

  • Incoming Admin May Shake Up Life Sciences Regulation

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    Though President-elect Donald Trump has not yet articulated policy priorities regarding the life sciences industry, the sector is positioned to see significant changes that could affect everything from drug exclusivity and generic drug approvals, to the availability of over-the-counter drugs, to laboratory-developed tests and digital health, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.

  • Next Steps In The $2.8B Blue Cross Payout To Providers

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    Healthcare providers deciding whether to participate in Blue Cross Blue Shield network's recent $2.8 billion antitrust class action settlement must weigh key recovery factors, including provider type and litigation cost, say attorneys at Hall Render.

  • So You Want To Move Your Law Practice To Canada, Eh?

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    Google searches for how to move to Canada have surged in the wake of the U.S. presidential election, and if you’re an attorney considering a move to the Great White North, you’ll need to understand how the practice of law differs across the border, says David Postel at Henein Hutchison.

  • What To Expect Next From Federal Health Tech Regulation

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    Healthcare organizations should pay close attention to federal health information technology regulators' recent guidance concerning barriers to accessing electronic health information, which signals that more enforcement in this area is likely forthcoming, say attorneys at Ropes & Gray.

  • Trump Rollback Of Biden Enviro Policies: What To Expect

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    Donald Trump's upcoming second presidential term will usher significant shifts in U.S. environmental and natural resource law and policy — and while the Biden administration is racing to secure its legacy, the incoming Trump administration is making plans to dramatically roll back most, if not all, of Biden's environmental initiatives, say attorneys at Beveridge & Diamond.

  • Takeaways From State Votes On Abortion In The 2024 Election

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    Attorneys at Epstein Becker discuss how 10 states voted on ballot initiatives to either protect or restrict access to abortion in the 2024 general election, and analyze overarching trends.

  • Key Territory-Split Licensing Lessons For Life Sciences Cos.

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    Territory-split deals can allow life sciences companies to maximize products' potential across a range of geographic areas, but these deals also present unique challenges requiring highly bespoke structures that can make or break the value of an asset, say attorneys at Covington.

  • Legislation Most Likely To Pass In Lame Duck Session

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    As Congress begins its five-week post-election lame duck session, attorneys at Greenberg Traurig break down the legislative priorities and which proposals can be expected to pass.

  • Justices Must Weigh Reach Of Civil RICO In Cannabis Case

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    Oral arguments in Medical Marijuana Inc. v. Horn suggest that a majority of the U.S. Supreme Court may agree that a truck driver's losing his job after unknowingly ingesting THC and failing a drug test does not merit a racketeering claim — but the court may not buy the other side's theory of the case either, say attorneys at Lewis Baach.

  • Litigation Strategies In View Of New Double Patenting Rulings

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    Recent Federal Circuit decisions, including in Allergan v. MSN, raise several issues that patent owners should understand and consider addressing proactively regarding obviousness-type double patenting, at least in their prosecution strategies, say attorneys at Dentons.

  • Promoting Diversity In The Selection Of ADR Neutrals

    Excerpt from Practical Guidance
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    Choosing neutrals from diverse backgrounds is an important step in promoting inclusion in the legal profession, and it can enhance the legitimacy and public perception of alternative dispute resolution proceedings, say attorneys at Lowenstein Sandler.

  • Series

    Playing Ultimate Makes Us Better Lawyers

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    In addition to being fun, ultimate Frisbee has improved our legal careers by emphasizing the importance of professionalism, teamwork, perseverance, enthusiasm and vulnerability, say Arunabha Bhoumik and Adam Bernstein at Regeneron. 

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