Goodwin’s Intellectual Property team regularly works on the most important deals in the life sciences and biotech sector. Our close relationship with clients ensures that the best intellectual property strategies are in place to foster company and product growth and minimize risk. We take pride in structuring, negotiating, and executing complex license, collaboration and joint development agreements. Recently, our Cambridge team advised Renaissance Pharma Ltd., in its launch and exclusive license agreement with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital for the treatment of newly diagnosed high-risk neuroblastoma patients globally – announced on August 01, 2023.

Manchester, UK-based Renaissance, is a rapidly emerging company focused on the development of life changing therapies in paediatric rare disease.

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is leading the way the world understands, treats and cures childhood cancer, sickle cell disease, and other life-threatening disorders.

Goodwin partner, Malcolm Bates said: “We wish Renaissance and St. Jude every success in this very important agreement.”

Read the press release here.

Goodwin’s Financial Restructuring partner Simon Thomas and counsel Oonagh Steel, with contributions from Life Sciences partners Sophie McGrath, Andrew Harrow and Tim Worden, have recently published a piece of thougtht leadership titled  “Restructuring and insolvency in the life sciences sector: Q&A”

The Q&A discusses the sector-specific issues and risks that restructuring and insolvency (R&I) practitioners should be aware of in the life sciences sector, including:

• Sector characteristics and current trends that may impact the level of distress and insolvency in the sector.
• Legislation relevant to R&I in the sector.
• Managing R&I risk in the supply chain.
• Sector-specific considerations for buyers to be aware of in distressed M&A transactions.
• Key considerations when approaching a restructuring or insolvency process in the sector

For more information please read the Reuters article here.

In Europe, life sciences deals increased over the last few years with a strong acceleration in 2021. As a result, the market wonders whether this is just a pick or rather a steady trend which will impact our market in the future as well. Analyzing the reasons of such growth and comparing it with more mature markets such as the U.S. comfort us in thinking that it is just the beginning for continental Europe.

The U.S. life sciences market has been very strong over the past decades and is seen as very mature. The level of venture investments, which are now very much standardized, licensing, M&A and IPOs is very high, both in volume and in number.

For the last ten years or so, the life sciences UK market attracted U.S. investors and an increasing number of growth funds. After a first step of development through venture investments, such companies are now ready for licensing, M&A and IPOs. This is also the trend that we anticipate for the European market even if each country or region still has its own specificities (in particular UK, Germany, France and the Nordic Countries).

Read the client alert.

The British Business Bank has opened the application process for the Future Fund, a new fund that provides financing to UK start-ups and scale-ups in the form of a convertible loan which is invested directly by the UK government.

Read the Alert >>

On 20 April 2020, the UK government (“Government”) announced the Future Fund, providing financing to UK companies (including to start-ups and scale-ups in the technology and life sciences sectors) in the form of a convertible loan which is invested directly by the Government alongside private investors.

Read the Alert >>

The UK Government has announced a new fund that provides financing to UK start-ups and scale-ups in the form of a convertible loan which is invested directly by the Government. For further detail on the fund please see: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/future-fund.

Read the Alert >>