Life Sciences

  • June 04, 2024

    FDA Advisers Rebuff Bid To Treat PTSD With MDMA

    A panel of public health experts on Tuesday dealt a blow to a historic effort to regulate MDMA therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder, saying although the positive effects shown in clinical trials are promising, the proposal was hindered by too many confounding factors.

  • June 04, 2024

    Zantac Suits Belong In Conn. State Court, Cancer Patients Say

    Lawsuits claiming Zantac and its generic equivalents caused cancer belong in Connecticut state court, two groups of Constitution State cancer patients and their estates say, arguing against several drugmakers' assertions that they can't be sued in the state on innovator and warning label liability claims.

  • June 04, 2024

    Pharma Cos. Tell Justices Feds Support Remanding Terror Suit

    Pharmaceutical companies urged the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday to heed the federal government's suggestion to throw out a D.C. Circuit ruling holding them potentially liable for allegedly financing terror attacks against U.S. servicemembers through contracts with the Iraqi government.

  • June 04, 2024

    J&J Owes $260M To Ore. Talc Mesothelioma Patient, Jury Says

    An Oregon state jury has ruled that Johnson & Johnson owes $260 million to a woman who said she developed mesothelioma from breathing in asbestos during daily talcum powder use.

  • June 04, 2024

    Honeywell Manager 'Dismissive' Of Black Employee, Suit Says

    A Black woman who was a global marketing manager for Honeywell International Inc. has accused the conglomerate of using layoffs as a pretext to get rid of her after she filed an internal complaint calling into question her manager's treatment of women and people of color.

  • June 04, 2024

    Illumina Board Puts Grail Spinoff In Motion After EU OK

    Illumina Inc. said Tuesday that its board had approved a spinoff of its cancer detection company following a push by activist heavyweight Carl Icahn and an ultimate order from European authorities to dispose of the asset. 

  • June 04, 2024

    Research Co. Pays Record $35M Fine In Dog Abuse Case

    A clinical research company has agreed to pay a record $35 million fine for violations of the Animal Welfare Act as part of a deal to resolve criminal charges stemming from the abuse of beagles that it bred for medical research.

  • June 03, 2024

    Ex-Biopharma Co. Prez Accused Of Defecting With Secrets

    Biopharmaceutical firm United Therapeutics Corp. has accused a former executive of violating an employment agreement by taking ideas to a rival company to develop a competing lung treatment.

  • June 03, 2024

    Justices Won't Review Contempt Sanctions Against Drug Co.

    The U.S. Supreme Court won't hear Hi-Tech Pharmaceuticals' challenge to the Federal Trade Commission's $40 million judgment against it for misrepresenting weight-loss drugs and violating an injunction.

  • June 03, 2024

    Glycine Co. Couldn't Compel Cooperation, Trade Court Told

    The U.S. Department of Commerce wrongly labeled an Indian glycine company as noncooperative after its unaffiliated suppliers declined to participate in a tariff review, the company said in a motion calling to unwind its penalty duty rate Monday.

  • June 03, 2024

    Drug Cos. Can Depose DC AG In Drug Price-Fixing Row

    A Connecticut federal judge reluctantly ordered the District of Columbia Attorney General's Office to be deposed by the drug companies wrapped up in more than 40 states' claims over an alleged price-fixing conspiracy, noting that he would not have done so but for the case being remanded from a sprawling multidistrict litigation in Pennsylvania.

  • June 03, 2024

    Group Defends Plan For PED-Fueled Athletic Competitions

    The Enhanced Games continues to push for its performance-enhanced events after criticism from the International Federation of Sports Medicine, arguing Monday that its mission is not that different, because it too wants healthy athletes and fair competition.

  • June 03, 2024

    Ex-SoftBank GC Joins Foley & Lardner As Partner In SF

    Foley & Lardner LLP has hired SoftBank Investment Advisers' former general counsel, who has over a decade of experience in private practice and serving as in-house counsel overseeing SoftBank's legal team, which structured and monitored more than 300 portfolio companies worth more than $130 billion.

  • June 03, 2024

    Biotech Firm, Mobile App Prepare To Enter IPO Fray

    Biotechnology firm Rapport Therapeutics Inc. and Australian-listed mobile-sharing app Life360 Inc. unveiled plans on Monday for initial public offerings that are estimated to raise about $311 million combined this week, under guidance from three law firms.

  • June 03, 2024

    House COVID Panel Questions Fauci Over Pandemic Origins

    Anthony Fauci, the former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease responsible for overseeing the pandemic response, was pressed by a U.S. House COVID-19 panel Monday about recent allegations that a senior official tried to evade open records laws regarding the origins of the pandemic.

  • June 03, 2024

    Ropes & Gray Guides Becton On $4.2B Edwards Unit Buy

    Ropes & Gray LLP is guiding Becton Dickinson and Co. on a deal that will see the medical technology company pay $4.2 billion for Edwards Lifesciences' critical care product group, which focuses on patient monitoring using artificial intelligence, the companies said Monday.

  • June 01, 2024

    Blockbuster Summer: 10 Big Issues Justices Still Must Decide

    As the calendar flips over to June, the U.S. Supreme Court still has heaps of cases to decide on issues ranging from trademark registration rules to judicial deference and presidential immunity. Here, Law360 looks at 10 of the most important topics the court has yet to decide.

  • May 31, 2024

    Caremark Cut Loose From CVS Price-Gouging Case

    A Rhode Island federal judge on Thursday dismissed Caremark from long-running litigation alleging CVS schemed with pharmacy benefit managers to overcharge insured health plans for generic drugs, finding Caremark's contracts with the funds have enforceable arbitration clauses.

  • May 31, 2024

    Samsung Strikes First With Smart Ring IP Suit Against Oura

    Samsung has yet to announce a release date for its new Galaxy Ring brand of wearable, health-tracking devices, but it has filed an intellectual property suit in California federal court Thursday targeting a Finnish startup that makes its own line of smart rings. 

  • May 31, 2024

    PTAB Upholds Medtronic Bladder Control Patents On Remand

    The Patent Trial and Appeal Board affirmed Medtronic patents covering a sacral stimulation system after Federal Circuit judges ordered the board last year to give the maker of a rival bladder and bowel control device another shot at knocking those patents out.

  • May 31, 2024

    COVID Test Contract Suit 'Cries Out' For Jury, NC Judge Says

    A fight between two companies over a doomed distribution deal for COVID-19 tests has gone from "ships passing in the night" to not even "sailing in the same ocean," a North Carolina Business Court judge said, paring the case for trial.

  • May 31, 2024

    Weight Loss Drug Caused Stomach Paralysis, Suit Says

    A Kentucky woman on Friday sued Novo Nordisk A/S and its affiliates in federal court, alleging that the company failed to warn patients that its weight loss treatment Saxenda carried the risk of incurable stomach paralysis.

  • May 31, 2024

    Beasley Allen Wants J&J Subpoenas Nixed Amid Ethics Fight

    The Beasley Allen Law Firm and a plaintiff steering committee in the Johnson & Johnson talc litigation blasted subpoenas directed at the firm and others aimed at turning up evidence of an alleged scheme to muster opposition to J&J's latest $6.5 billion bankruptcy plan.

  • May 31, 2024

    New Antibody IP Ruling Still Needs To Be Tested In Courts

    A May decision from top U.S. Patent and Trademark Office officials is giving some attorneys renewed hope that they'll be able to secure antibody patents, but they say the agency's ruling may not be enough to overcome courts that have been hostile toward these patents.

  • May 31, 2024

    In Rarity, 1 Party's Judges Gain 100% Control Of Circuit Bench

    At the First Circuit, the judges' robes are all black, but the judges are all blue. It's a new and unusual instance of one political party's judicial picks controlling each active seat on a federal appeals court, and the Democratic dominance could prove magnetic for ideologically charged litigation.

Expert Analysis

  • DOJ's Biopharma Settlement Raises Anti-Kickback Questions

    Author Photo

    In the aftermath of the U.S. Department of Justice's settlement with Ultragenyx over genetic testing programs, it may be prudent to reevaluate genetic tests through the lens of the Anti-Kickback Statute and reconsider whether it is proper for free testing programs to be treated like patient assistance programs, says Mary Kohler at Kohler Health Law.

  • Where Justices Stand On Chevron Doctrine Post-Argument

    Author Photo

    Following recent oral argument at the U.S. Supreme Court, at least four justices appear to be in favor of overturning the long-standing Chevron deference, and three justices seem ready to uphold it, which means the ultimate decision may rest on Chief Justice John Roberts' vote, say Wayne D'Angelo and Zachary Lee at Kelley Drye.

  • 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.

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!