.jpg?n=5702 "ByrneWallace Logo")
Life Sciences
The sector
The life sciences umbrella covers the pharmaceutical, chemical, biopharmaceuticals, medical device and diagnostic sectors. The importance of the life sciences sector to the Irish economy cannot be over estimated. Ireland has in excess of 170 life sciences companies employing 17,000 people. In 2008, the Irish pharmaceutical sector exported products valued at over €43 billion. 9 of the world’s top 10 pharmaceutical companies have substantial operations in Ireland with many of these companies increasingly conducting significant research and development in Ireland. The last number of years has also seen a significant increase in the activities of indigenous Irish life sciences companies and an expansion in the technology transfer activities of Irish universities. Companies operating in the Life Sciences sector face specific challenges given the highly regulated environment in which they operate. These companies must keep up to-date with ever changing regulation and developments in intellectual property law.
Life sciences group
Our life sciences group is one of Ireland’s leading life sciences practices. It is headed by Colin Sainsbury who prior to joining the firm spent almost ten years with Elan and was General Counsel of Elan’s drug delivery business. Members of the group, with their specific sectoral experience, are able to provide proactive and value added support to clients both in relation to significant corporate transactions and other matters. In particular, our lawyers are able to propose a range of options to the client and the other party of a transaction which greatly assists in finalising a transaction. This can act as a solid foundation for a collaboration which may last many years. In conjunction with the firm’s other departments, the life sciences group provides a proactive and added value service to some of the world's best known life sciences companies. We bring our broad range of sector specific experience to bear on complex international transactions on their behalf. We partner with these clients to successfully deliver significant transactions in a commercially minded and solution driven manner.
Life sciences brochure
Click here to download our life sciences brochure.
Life sciences services
- Structuring and negotiation of complex transactions
- Life science and pharmaceutical regulatory law
- Conduct of clinical trials
- EU medicine law
- Sectoral specific competition law
- Research and development
- Intellectual property law
- Licensing and marketing of technologies and pharmaceutical products.
Representative transactions
Click here for a list of representative life sciences transactions.
Recommendations
Chambers 2009
"…the firm is also home to what is perhaps Ireland's leading life sciences practice".
"…the team was lauded for its capabilities in the technology and life sciences fields." In the corporate/M&A section Colin Sainsbury was described as "very commercial and pleasant to work with".
Colin is also recommended as a leading individual within the Intellectual Property section, described as "superb – his commercial acumen is unique among the lawyers we have dealt with".
Legal 500 2009
"[the firm] has a sterling record for corporate work within the life sciences sector due to the respect afforded to Colin Sainsbury, a former pharmaceutical in-house counsel, who is ‘ sought after for his in-depth industry knowledge and experience’."