Life Sciences

  • July 31, 2024

    1st Circ. Mostly Backs $5M Award In Biotech Recruiting Spat

    The First Circuit left intact the vast majority of a $5 million post-trial award against a life sciences recruiting firm found to have misappropriated trade secrets from a rival involving placements at Takeda and Vedanta Biosciences.

  • July 31, 2024

    5 Trials To Watch In The 2nd Half Of 2024

    Upcoming high-profile trials over star lawyer Tom Girardi's alleged fraud, Hunter Biden's taxes and Washington state's "patent troll" law are among the cases to watch in the latter half of the year.

  • July 31, 2024

    AIG Units Off Hook In Defending McKesson Opioid Suits

    Two AIG insurers have no duty to defend McKesson Corp. over claims it intentionally over-distributed opioids, a California federal court ruled, saying the three underlying suits do not allege a potentially covered occurrence under policies issued between 1999 and 2004.

  • July 30, 2024

    Life Sciences Cases To Watch 2024: A Midyear Report

    From the U.S. Supreme Court down to the federal district courts, judges and lawmakers are grappling with questions crucial to the life sciences industry. Here are some of the biggest life sciences cases to watch in the second half of 2024. 

  • July 30, 2024

    2024 Product Liability Areas To Watch

    The growing movement in state laws about whether consumers can repair their own products is catching attorneys' eyes, as well as recent changes in rules that govern multidistrict litigation, which often involve pharmaceuticals and medical devices.

  • July 30, 2024

    Cook Medical Vein Filter Claims Came Too Late, 7th Circ. Says

    The Seventh Circuit on Tuesday upheld Cook Medical LLC's win in a woman's lawsuit claiming the company's inferior vena cava filter caused her to develop abdominal pain and that the device fractured when it was removed, saying the suit was filed after the statute of limitations had expired.

  • July 30, 2024

    DC Circ. Finds NIH's Comment Restrictions Unconstitutional

    The National Institutes of Health violated the First Amendment when the agency used keyword filters to hide comments from animal rights activists on its official Facebook and Instagram pages, a D.C. Circuit panel ruled Tuesday.

  • July 30, 2024

    AIDS Org Sues Express Scripts For PBM Monopoly

    The world's largest HIV/AIDS healthcare organization is joining the slew of litigants suing pharmacy benefit manager Express Scripts, claiming in a new complaint that the pharmacy giant has leveraged monopoly power in Louisiana to suppress competition among independent specialty pharmacies that focus on rare and complex medical conditions.

  • July 30, 2024

    Judge Wants Device Warning Answers From Mich. Justices

    A Michigan federal judge ruled Tuesday that medical device manufacturer NuVasive Inc. must face a patient suit alleging its limb-lengthening device caused metal poisoning, while also asking the Michigan Supreme Court to break its silence on medical manufacturers' duty to warn patients directly. 

  • July 30, 2024

    Chancery Rejects Forte-Camac Deal As 'Not Fair' To Class

    A Delaware Chancery Court judge on Tuesday rejected a settlement between Forte Biosciences Inc. and Camac Partners LLC that would have ended the activist investor's class action over Forte's alleged board entrenchment, finding that the proposed deal gave Camac "unique and personal benefits" that weren't shared with the rest of the class.

  • July 30, 2024

    Psychedelics And The Law: A Midyear Review

    A groundbreaking effort to secure federal approval for a psychedelic medication hit an unexpected snag. Religious groups asserting the right to access controlled substances had mixed success in federal court. Physicians seeking to administer psilocybin to terminally ill patients will finally have their day in court. Here are the major developments in psychedelics law from the first half of 2024.

  • July 30, 2024

    DOD Contractors Must Face Suit Over 'Made In U.S.A.' Label

    A pair of whistleblowers who claim that tourniquets and other medical equipment sold to the U.S. Department of Defense was mislabeled as "made in U.S.A." can continue with most of their False Claims Act suit against two contractors, a Pennsylvania federal judge said.

  • July 30, 2024

    Litigator Rejoins Faegre Drinker From Medical Device Co.

    Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP's newest lateral hire is stepping back into private practice after two years as associate general counsel for orthopedic implant company Exactech, and should be a familiar face around the firm's Indianapolis office.

  • July 30, 2024

    What Mass. Attys Will Be Watching In The 2nd Half Of 2024

    Two potentially sweeping Massachusetts high court rulings and a long-awaited employment bill lingering in the State House are among the issues Bay State attorneys say they are monitoring closely heading into the latter half of 2024.

  • July 29, 2024

    Genzyme Says Sarepta's Dystrophy Gene Therapy Infringes IP

    Sanofi's biotechnology company Genzyme Corp. hauled Sarepta Therapeutics into Delaware federal court on Friday, alleging Sarepta's gene therapy treatment for Duchenne muscular dystrophy infringed two of its patents for manufacturing certain therapeutics.

  • July 29, 2024

    Medical Co. Can't Get Alleged Fraudulent Arbitral Award Nixed

    A New York federal judge has declined to vacate an arbitral award issued by a Swiss tribunal to a Singapore company in a dispute over a medical imaging joint venture, rejecting arguments that an agreement struck by the parties meant that a New York court could decide the issue.

  • July 29, 2024

    NIST Lays Out 200+ Ways To Tackle Generative AI Risks

    The National Institute of Standards and Technology has recommended hundreds of actions that can be taken to address issues of data privacy, intellectual property, environmental impact and more raised by generative artificial intelligence.

  • July 29, 2024

    Wash. Says At-Home Rape Kit Law Targets Harm, Not Speech

    Washington pushed back against a company's bid to pause enforcement of a ban on the sale of "DIY" DNA collection kits to sexual assault survivors, saying the prohibition is meant to prevent victims from being tricked into thinking the kit results will stand up in court.

  • July 29, 2024

    Gilstrap Finds Nothing Between The Lines Of Barcode Patents

    A handful of barcode scanning patents issued to prolific litigant Leigh Rothschild met their fate in Texas, with U.S. District Judge Rodney Gilstrap deciding they "recite no more than generic computer operations."

  • July 29, 2024

    Vaccine Co. Was Sanctioned For Deliberately Hiding Testing

    U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Director Kathi Vidal backed sanctions for Longhorn Vaccines & Diagnostics' "egregious abuse" of the Patent Trial and Appeal Board system because of the patent owner's "deliberate scheme to hide" harmful evidence from the board, she said in an opinion made public Friday.

  • July 29, 2024

    Boehringer Appeals HHS Win In Medicare Drug Price Suit

    Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals Inc. notified a Connecticut federal court Friday that it will appeal its loss in a lawsuit challenging a new Medicare drug price negotiation program on the grounds that it unlawfully compels the pharmaceutical giant to declare prices "fair," takes its property and imposes an excessive fine.

  • July 29, 2024

    Kirkland-Led Amulet Closes $1.2B Health-Focused Fund

    Kirkland & Ellis LLP-advised private equity shop Amulet Capital Partners LP on Monday announced that it successfully closed its third healthcare-focused private equity fund with roughly $1.2 billion in tow.

  • July 29, 2024

    Legalization Org Taps Cannabis Atty As New Treasurer

    The pro-legalization advocacy organization Marijuana Policy Project announced Monday that a preeminent member of the cannabis bar had been tapped as the group's newest treasurer.

  • July 29, 2024

    GSK Settles Ill. Zantac Cancer Suit

    GlaxoSmithKline said Monday it has settled a lawsuit brought by an Illinois man who took the heartburn medication Zantac or its generic counterpart for more than 20 years and claimed the drug caused his prostate cancer.

  • July 29, 2024

    Firm, Ex-Client Brief Conn. High Court In Punitive Award Case

    McCarter & English LLP and ex-client Jarrow Formulas Inc. are weighing in as the Connecticut Supreme Court decides whether a federal court can award law firms punitive damages in suits for breach of contract, as the firm seeks a punitive payout after winning multimillion-dollar judgments in a contract dispute.

Expert Analysis

  • Practicing Law With Parkinson's Disease

    Author Photo

    This Parkinson’s Awareness Month, Adam Siegler at Greenberg Traurig discusses his experience working as a lawyer with Parkinson’s disease, sharing both lessons on how to cope with a diagnosis and advice for supporting colleagues who live with the disease.

  • When Trade Secret Protection And Nat'l Security Converge

    Author Photo

    The Trump administration's anti-espionage program focused on China is over, but federal enforcement efforts to protect trade secrets and U.S. national security continue, and companies doing business in high-risk jurisdictions need to maintain their compliance programs to avoid the risk of being caught in the crosshairs of an investigation, say attorneys at Baker McKenzie.

  • The Merger Cases That Will Matter At ABA Antitrust Meeting

    Author Photo

    While the American Bar Association's Antitrust Spring Meeting this week will cover all types of competition law issues in the U.S. and abroad, expect the federal agencies' recent track record in merger enforcement to be a key area of focus on the official panels and in cocktail party chatter, say attorneys at Freshfields.

  • Calif. Verdict Showcases SEC's New 'Shadow Trading' Theory

    Author Photo

    Last week's insider trading verdict, delivered against biopharmaceutical executive Matthew Panuwat by a California federal jury, signals open season on a new area of regulatory enforcement enabled by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's shadow trading theory, say Perrie Weiner and Aaron Goodman at Baker McKenzie.

  • Series

    Playing Hockey Makes Me A Better Lawyer

    Author Photo

    Nearly a lifetime of playing hockey taught me the importance of avoiding burnout in all aspects of life, and the game ultimately ended up providing me with the balance I needed to maintain success in my legal career, says John Riccione at Taft.

  • For Lawyers, Pessimism Should Be A Job Skill, Not A Life Skill

    Author Photo

    A pessimistic mindset allows attorneys to be effective advocates for their clients, but it can come with serious costs for their personal well-being, so it’s crucial to exercise strategies that produce flexible optimism and connect lawyers with their core values, says Krista Larson at Stinson.

  • HHS Opioid Rule Generally Benefits Providers And Patients

    Author Photo

    The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' newly effective rule, the first substantial change to opioid treatment programs and delivery standards in over 20 years, significantly expands access and reduces stigma around certain medications, though the rule is narrow in scope and does have some limitations, say attorneys at Alston & Bird.

  • Trump's NY Civil Fraud Trial Spotlights Long-Criticized Law

    Author Photo

    A New York court’s recent decision holding former President Donald Trump liable for fraud brought old criticisms of the state law used against him back into the limelight — including its strikingly broad scope and its major departures from the traditional elements of common law fraud, say Mark Kelley and Lois Ahn at MoloLamken.

  • Opinion

    Requiring Leave To File Amicus Briefs Is A Bad Idea

    Author Photo

    A proposal to amend the Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure that would require parties to get court permission before filing federal amicus briefs would eliminate the long-standing practice of consent filing and thereby make the process less open and democratic, says Lawrence Ebner at the Atlantic Legal Foundation and DRI Center.

  • 2 Recent Suits Show Resiliency Of Medicare Drug Price Law

    Author Photo

    Though pharmaceutical companies continue to file lawsuits challenging the Inflation Reduction Act, which enables the federal government to negotiate for lower prescription drug prices, recent decisions suggest that the reduced drug prices are likely here to stay, says Jose Vela Jr. at Clark Hill.

  • 4 Ways To Motivate Junior Attorneys To Bring Their Best

    Author Photo

    As Gen Z and younger millennial attorneys increasingly express dissatisfaction with their work and head for the exits, the lawyers who manage them must understand and attend to their needs and priorities to boost engagement and increase retention, says Stacey Schwartz at Katten.

  • Defense Attys Must Prep For Imminent AI Crime Enforcement

    Author Photo

    Given recent statements by U.S. Department of Justice officials, white collar practitioners should expect to encounter artificial intelligence in federal criminal enforcement in the near term, even in pending cases, say Jarrod Schaeffer and Scott Glicksman at Abell Eskew.

  • Planning For Healthcare-Private Equity Antitrust Enforcement

    Author Photo

    U.S. antitrust agency developments could mean potential enforcement actions on healthcare-related acquisitions by private equity funds are on the way, and entities operating in this space should follow a series of practice tips, including early assessment of antitrust risks on both the state and federal level, say Ryan Quillian and John Kendrick at Covington.

  • Opinion

    Why USPTO Should Issue Inherency Guidance Memo

    Author Photo

    The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office should issue a new guidance memo in regard to the standard for inherency during the examination process, as the standard is frequently misapplied during prosecution, and consistency of the standard in the USPTO should match that in the federal courts, says Irving Feit at Lucas & Mercanti.

  • How Purdue Pharma High Court Case May Change Bankruptcy

    Author Photo

    The U.S. Supreme Court’s upcoming ruling in Purdue Pharma may be the death of most third-party releases in Chapter 11 cases, and depending on the decision’s breadth, could have much more far-reaching effects on the entire bankruptcy system, say Brian Shaw and David Doyle at Cozen O'Connor.

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!