• Includes more than 80 life sciences lawyers and patent professionals, over 30 of whom hold advanced degrees in scientific fields ranging from molecular biology to immunology.
• Ranked third nationally among law firms in raising capital for healthcare clients in 2006 by Venture Capital Analyst/ Dow Jones VentureOne.
• In 2007, represented Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. in a major international collaboration with British based GW Pharmaceuticals plc for a long term strategic alliance and development agreement to develop and market Sativex®, in the United States. GW receives an upfront payment of $18 million and milestone payments of up to $273 million.
• In 2006, represented Bayer Healthcare in license and collaboration with Regeneron.
• In 2006, represented Bayer Pharmaceutical in large collaboration with Nuvelo (named "Breakthrough Alliance of 2006").
• In 2006, handled NuVasive's, Inc.'s $166 million follow-on public offering.
• In 2006, represented Merrill Lynch & Co. in the underwriting of the $65 million initial public offering for Cadence Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
• In 2006, represented A.G. Edwards & Sons, Inc. in the underwriting of the $35 million initial public offering for Cardica, Inc.
• In 2006, represented A.L. Industrier ASA in its $305 million sale of its controlling equity interest of Alpharma back to Alpharma.
• In 2006, handled Obagi Medical Products' $59 million initial public offering.
• In 2006, represented Kleiner Perkins Caulfield & Byers in the $120 million series B financing of Altra Biofuels.
• Represented PATH in several vaccine development and supply collaborations in Europe, India, China and the United States (funded by the Bill Melinda Gates Foundation).
• Represented RITA Medical in its acquisition by AngioDynamics in the amount of $220 million.

Our Capabilities

Capital Markets

Heller Ehrman's capital markets practice assists clients in finding and securing the funding they need to grow and prosper. Drawing upon the resources of our attorneys from across the firm's offices in the United States, Europe and Asia, our capital markets practice leverages our strong relationships with the venture capital and investment banking communities to help raise funds through public and private offerings of equity, debt and equity-linked securities.

Corporate Securities, M&A

Heller Ehrman provides the full array of corporate services. Our nationally recognized M&A team counsels participants in transactions involving the change of control in all or part of a business. We are experienced with sophisticated public financing instruments of all types and have well established relationships with nationally prominent venture capital and investment banking firms. We also counsel clients in 1934 Act and Sarbanes-Oxley compliance.

Intellectual Property

We work with clients to develop and manage intellectual property portfolios. We offer all patent-related services such as patent searching, drafting and filing, patent prosecution , patent term extensions and regulatory exclusivity, as well as opinions regarding patentability, validity and infringement. We obtain and maintain trademarks, trade names and copyrights for many of our clients.

Intellectual Property Transactions

We represent clients in the design, documentation and operation of strategic alliances, licenses and a variety of collaborations relating to research and development, commercialization, strategic alliance, distribution, manufacturing and supply, clinical trials and related transactions. We participate on both the idea and money sides of ventures involving small and large companies as well as research institutes, often handling transactions involving multiple parties.

Litigation Services

Our nationally recognized litigation team has handled high-profile litigation matters throughout the United States in the areas of antitrust, intellectual property, consumer defense, securities, insurance coverage and employment law. In 2005, we prevailed in the U.S. Supreme Court on behalf of Merck KGaA in a patent case brought by Integra Life Sciences I, Ltd., considered the most significant life sciences court decision in a generation. In 2007 we earned a final victory for Merck KGaA, when the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ruled in favor of the company, on all claims, after remand from the Supreme Court.

FDA

We focus on FDA regulatory, policy, enforcement and product development regulatory strategy issues, as well as commercial transactions involving pre-clinical and clinical testing, manufacturing, distribution, labeling, marketing, advertising and promotion, and the exportation and importation of drugs, biologics, biopharmaceuticals, medical and in vitro diagnostic devices, foods, dietary supplements and cosmetics.