Deals & Corporate Governance
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April 17, 2025
Incyte Can Get Novartis' Privileged Info On Drug Royalty Deal
Novartis must produce certain privileged documents to Incyte concerning its understanding of their contract for royalty payments from sales of Incyte's blood cancer drug, unless Novartis agrees its former outside counsel, who negotiated the terms, won't testify about that topic at the upcoming contract breach trial, a New York federal judge said Thursday.
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April 17, 2025
NC Hospital Operator Can't Escape AG's Merger Suit Yet
A North Carolina Business Court judge rejected HCA Healthcare's bid for a partial win in state Attorney General Jeff Jackson's compliance suit reviewing the company's 2019 purchase of another hospital system, ruling that the purchase agreement's language is too ambiguous to decide the matter without further discovery.
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April 17, 2025
Zenas BioPharma Faces Investor Suit Over Post-IPO Plunge
Autoimmune disease therapeutics company Zenas BioPharma Inc. was hit with a proposed shareholder class action alleging that its registration statement for its September 2024 initial public offering overstated the amount of time that the company could fund its operations using existing cash and expected net proceeds from the offering.
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April 16, 2025
DexCom Execs Sued For Allegedly Misleading Growth Claims
Executives and directors of glucose monitor manufacturer DexCom Inc. have been hit with a derivative suit alleging that they concealed from investors that DexCom struggled to maintain a sales force that could keep up with growing demand following a Medicare policy expansion.
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April 15, 2025
9th Circ. Told Oregon Hospital Merger Law Flouts Due Process
A hospital trade group urged the Ninth Circuit on Monday to block an Oregon law allowing the Oregon Health Authority to review proposed healthcare business consolidations, arguing the law is "unconstitutionally vague" and bestows unlimited power on the agency to block healthcare transactions in the state.
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April 15, 2025
McGuireWoods Immune From Defamation Case, NC Panel Told
McGuireWoods LLP and a former partner have told a North Carolina state appeals court聽that they have absolute privilege over allegedly defamatory statements made in connection with an investigation into the former CEO of a managed care organization, arguing that the trial court should have granted them a pretrial win.
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April 15, 2025
Kirkland-Led Linden Wraps $5.4B Healthcare-Focused Fund
Healthcare-focused private equity shop Linden Capital Partners,聽advised by聽Kirkland & Ellis LLP,聽on Tuesday announced that it clinched its sixth fund with $5.4 billion of capital commitments.
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April 11, 2025
CFPB To Pull Medical Debt Opinion, May Ax Nonbank Registry
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau said Friday that it will scrap recent guidance aimed at reining in medical debt collectors and may close out its new national nonbank enforcement registry, extending the agency's pullback from its Biden-era policies.
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April 11, 2025
Dentsply Brass Face Investor Suit Over Alleged Dental Injuries
Executives and directors of dental supply manufacturing company Dentsply Sirona Inc. have been hit with a derivative suit alleging they concealed that a company subsidiary was approving unsuitable patients for dental treatments to inflate sales figures.
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April 11, 2025
NC AG Can't Shield Most Merger Review Docs, Judge Holds
The North Carolina Attorney General's Office can't shield a host of internal records pertaining to its review of a 2019 hospital merger at the center of a compliance case, a state court judge has said, finding "only a few" records constitute protected attorney-client communications or work product.
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April 11, 2025
Aurinia Sues Lotus Alleging Lupus Drug Patent Infringement
Kidney-focused biotech Aurinia Pharmaceuticals Inc. on Friday launched a lawsuit in New Jersey federal court claiming that Lotus Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd.'s bid to sell a generic form of Aurinia's lupus nephritis treatment Lupkynis infringes a pair of patents.
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April 11, 2025
5th Circ. Revives Unfair Competition Fight Over Arthritis Drug
The Fifth Circuit has revived Zyla Life Sciences LLC's lawsuit seeking to block Texas rival Wells Pharma from selling rheumatoid arthritis drug suppositories that aren't U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved, rejecting Wells Pharma's argument that Zyla's state claims are preempted under federal law and noting that finding otherwise would have "staggering" implications.
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April 11, 2025
Future Pak Goes Public With $255M Theratechnologies Bid
Pharmaceutical manufacturer and packager Future Pak LLC, advised by Honigman LLP, on Friday publicly unveiled its proposal to acquire pharmaceutical company Theratechnologies Inc. for up to $255 million, a move that comes after Future Pak has received "minimal engagement" from the other company.
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April 08, 2025
Iowa Hospital's Decline Gets Close Look In Bankruptcy Case
The former operator of a now-bankrupt Iowa hospital is facing scrutiny over allegations the hospital suffered massive operating losses while paying some $9 million to the operator in fees in the years before its financial collapse.
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April 08, 2025
Healthcare IPOs Take Another Hit Amid Trump Tariff War
Hopes for an improving healthcare public market all but vanished after a sweeping tariffs announcement from Washington set off a wave of market volatility.
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April 08, 2025
Pacira Reaches IP Deal Allowing Generic Painkiller In 2030
Pacira BioSciences has agreed to settle a series of patent infringement lawsuits against Fresenius Kabi and other pharmaceutical companies over Pacira's drug Exparel, a long-acting injectable for managing postsurgical pain.
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April 08, 2025
Hospital Operator Gets 'Burdensome' Antitrust Info Bid Pared
A North Carolina federal judge has pared HCA Healthcare Inc.'s subpoenas to a hospital network in a consolidated antitrust case accusing it of hiking Tar Heel State public employees' health insurance costs, putting a two-hour time limit on the depositions it sought and cutting three years of requested information.
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April 08, 2025
Longtime Cooley Life Sciences Ace Jumps To Wilson Sonsini
Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati PC has hired a former Cooley LLP partner for its corporate department to strengthen the services offered by its life sciences practice, it announced on Tuesday.
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April 08, 2025
Amedisys Gets Merger Filing Claim Paused In DOJ's UHG Suit
A Maryland federal judge has hit pause on part of the Justice Department lawsuit challenging UnitedHealth's $3.3 billion acquisition of home health and hospice company Amedisys, preferring to handle the merger challenge first and only then turn to allegations that Amedisys shirked its merger filing requirements.
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April 07, 2025
Torrent Seeks Arbitration In Drug Commercialization Fight
A subsidiary of Indian multinational company Torrent Pharmaceuticals is urging a Delaware judge to force OWP Pharmaceuticals to arbitrate a dispute over issues that allegedly delayed the U.S. commercialization of its epilepsy and anti-seizure medications.
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April 07, 2025
Incyte Can't Get Pretrial Win In Novartis Royalty Fight
A New York federal judge has disagreed with Incyte Corp.'s argument that its interpretation of a drug commercialization contract at the heart of a royalties dispute with Novartis聽Pharma AG is the right one, ahead of a jury trial scheduled next month.
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April 07, 2025
Conn. Judge Pauses 'Staggering' Hospital Data Subpoena
A Connecticut judge temporarily paused a subpoena seeking what a health nonprofit called "a staggering amount" of confidential patient data by a proposed class of Constitution State residents accusing Hartford HealthCare Corp. of monopolizing the state's healthcare industry, stating that the court must review the subpoena first.
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April 07, 2025
NC Doctors Say Fee-Sharing Row Resulted In Pay Cuts
A group of North Carolina anesthesiologists accused their business partners of slashing their monthly compensation in half in retaliation against them for questioning a proposed fee-sharing arrangement, saying the cut allegedly violated the doctors' contracts and breached the partners' fiduciary duty.
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April 03, 2025
Compounders Say Shortage Of Weight Loss Drug Continues
A group of compounding pharmacies looking to keep producing copycat doses of Eli Lilly & Co's lucrative weight loss drug tirzepatide are telling a Texas federal judge that demand for the drug has "far outpaced" supply despite the Food and Drug Administration declaring the medication's shortage over last year, a move that removed their right to make compounded versions.
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April 03, 2025
Amazon, Biotech Net $1.9M Win Against Fake Supplement Sellers
A Washington federal judge has awarded biotechnology company Quincy Biosciences and Amazon a combined total of $1,895,375.40 in default judgments against several individuals who hawked counterfeit Prevagen brain health products through Amazon's marketplace, after the sellers failed to appear or participate in the case.
Big Pharma Touts US Investments Amid Tariff Threat
As tariffs loom on the horizon, Big Pharma companies laud their plans to ramp up U.S. manufacturing 鈥 even as they're set to eat costs for the foreseeable future.

Pharmaceutical Tariff Exemption Is No End to Cost Threat
The life sciences industry escaped much of the immediate impact of President Donald Trump's market-shaking tariff order, thanks to the inclusion of a single word on an exemption list 鈥 "pharmaceuticals." The relief may not last long.

Facing Private Equity Pressures, Doctors Head Back To School
As private equity continues to reach into the healthcare space, some doctors are joining physician-focused MBA programs, honing new skills to better compete in a rapidly changing business.
Expert Analysis
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Issues To Watch At ABA's Antitrust Spring Meeting
Attorneys at Freshfields consider the future of antitrust law and competition enforcement amid agency leadership changes and other emerging developments likely to dominate discussion at the American Bar Association's Antitrust Spring Meeting this week.
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Reviewing Calif. Push To Restrict Private Equity In Healthcare
A recent proposed bill in California aims to broaden the state's existing corporate practice of medicine restrictions, so investors must ensure that there is clear delineation between private equity investment in practice management and physicians' clinical decision-making, say attorneys at Debevoise.
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China High Court Ruling Could Encourage Antitrust Litigation
Practitioners defending U.S. companies in China should take note of a Chinese Supreme Court ruling that plaintiffs can file suits based on either where the alleged action, or where the result of such action, occurred 鈥 which will promote civil litigation by minimizing procedural battles over forum selection, says Yang Yang at Leaqual Law Firm.
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Recent Cases Clarify FCA Kickback Pleading Standards
Two recently resolved cases involving pharmaceutical manufacturers may make it more difficult for False Claims Act defendants facing kickback scheme allegations to get claims dismissed for lack of evidence, say Li Yu at Bernstein Litowitz, Ellen London at London & Noar, and Gregg Shapiro at Gregg Shapiro Law.
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Antitrust Analysis In Iowa Pathologist Case Misses The Mark
An Iowa federal court erred in its recent decision in Goldfinch Laboratory v. Iowa Pathology Associates by focusing exclusively on market impacts and sidestepping key questions that should be central to antitrust standing analysis, says Daniel Graulich at Baker McKenzie.
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Assessing PE Risk After Mass. False Claims Act Amendments
A law recently passed in Massachusetts amends the commonwealth's False Claims Act by dramatically expanding potential liability for private equity firms and investors, underscoring the importance of robust diligence and risk assessments for private equity firms conducting transactions in the commonwealth, say attorneys at Gibson Dunn.
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Rethinking 'No Comment' For Clients Facing Public Crises
鈥淣o comment鈥 is no longer a cost-free or even a viable public communications strategy for companies in crisis, and counsel must tailor their guidance based on a variety of competing factors to help clients emerge successfully, says Robert Bowers at Moore & Van Allen.
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Top 10 Healthcare And Life Sciences Issues To Watch In 2025
Under the new Trump administration, this coming year may benefit some healthcare and life sciences stakeholders, while creating new challenges for others amid an increasingly complex regulatory environment, say attorneys at Debevoise.
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2024 IPO Market Trends, And What To Expect Next Year
The initial public offering market returned to historically typical levels on a deal count basis in 2024 but continued to lag based on proceeds raised due to a larger number of smaller IPOs this year, and signs point to continued ongoing momentum in the next year, say attorneys at Paul Hastings.
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Inside The Appeals Board's 2024 Report To Congress
An in-depth examination of the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals鈥 annual report reveals 鈥媋 continuing decline in new cases, motions and hearings, a trend that may correspond with 鈥媡鈥媓e increased use of alternative dispute resolution, and expedited or accelerated proceedings, say attorneys at Miller & Chevalier.
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Expect More State Scrutiny Of PE In Healthcare M&A
While a California bill that called for increased antitrust scrutiny of many healthcare private equity transactions was recently vetoed by the governor, state legislatures are likely to continue introducing similar laws, particularly if the Trump administration eases federal enforcement, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.
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Cos. Should Inventory Issues To Prep For New Congress
As the legislative and oversight agendas of the 119th Congress come into sharper focus, corporate counsel should assess and plan for areas of potential oversight risk 鈥 from tax policy changes to supply chain integrity 鈥 even as much uncertainty remains, say attorneys at WilmerHale.
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Next Steps In The $2.8B Blue Cross Payout To Providers
Healthcare providers deciding whether to participate in Blue Cross Blue Shield network's recent $2.8 billion antitrust class action settlement must weigh key recovery factors, including provider type and litigation cost, say attorneys at Hall Render.