Partner

Sarah Hanson

Co-Head of the CMS Life Sciences & Healthcare Group

Languages

English

Social media

Sarah Hanson is Global Co-Head of the CMS Life Sciences & Healthcare Group. In this position, she jointly leads an international team of more than 480 lawyers, patent attorneys, scientists and academics’ across CMS. Sarah was formerly the Co-Head of the Life Sciences & Healthcare Sector Group for CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang LLP.

She has specialised in high value, cross-border commercial, intellectual property and outsourcing transactions for more than 20 years having advised on a broad range of commercial agreements relating to in and out licensing, sales and distributor arrangements, research and development, manufacturing and supply, strategic alliances and joint ventures. During her time with the firm she has been on secondment with Warner Lambert (now part of Pfizer).

Awards & Recognitions

01 –

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Listed as a Recommended Individual: transactions

IAM Patent 1000, United Kingdom: England and Wales 2024
Quote

Handling high-value IP transactions with exceptional sophistication, Sarah Hanson is a forward-thinking practitioner who deftly identifies and mitigates risk for her clientele, to sign and seal lucrative agreements.

IAM Patent 1000
Quote

"Sarah Hanson is an excellent commercial lawyer, especially when it comes to extremely complex matters."

Chambers & Partners
Quote

"Ranked a Global Leader in Life Sciences - Transactional"

Who’s Who Legal
Quote

Sarah Hanson is ranked in Legal 500 and client feedback includes "Sarah Hanson – responsive to enquiries and pragmatic advice provided."

Legal 500
Quote

Sarah Hanson is ranked in Chambers and Partners for Life Sciences: Transactional with Chambers reporting that Sarah ‘has acted on some of the most iconic deals of recent times’ and client feedback including "Sarah Hanson has deep topic and matter expertise in life sciences." "Sarah is really good and clients really like her."

Chambers & Partners
Quote

"Sarah is 'a fantastic client care partner’ and is ranked as a Leading Individual in Legal 500 for Life Sciences and Healthcare."

Legal 500
Quote

Sarah is ranked in Chambers and Partners for Life Sciences: Transactional with a client reporting "We get fast and clear responses from her and good engagement at all stages. We have had a very positive overall experience."

Chambers & Partners
Quote

"Sarah Hanson has acted as our relationship partner and has always responded quickly and helped to select appropriate advisors within the CMS network for each instruction."

Client Feedback, Legal 500
Quote

Ranked as a Leading Individual for Commercial Contracts.

Legal 500

Relevant experience

Otsuka on its digital health and data analytics collaboration with Holmusk Inc and specifically on the transfer of the Otsuka Health Solutions digital assets to Holmusk Inc.
Essential Pharmaceuticals, a pharma business, on the sale to Rosemont Pharmaceuticals of its oral liquids portfolio of products and the acquisition from Rosemont Pharmaceuticals of a portfolio of products, in each case through a suite of agreements including product rights agreements, supply agreements, IP licences and quality agreements.
Almirall SA on the transfer of its respiratory franchise to AstraZeneca for an initial consideration of USD 875m on completion and up to USD 1.22bn in development, launch and sales related milestone payments.
PGT Healthcare LLP in relation to a collaboration with Swisse Wellness Group Party Limited in relation to vitamin, mineral and food supplement products across certain territories.
Sinclair IS Pharma plc on an exclusive 100 year distribution arrangement with an affiliate of Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Inc, for injectable aesthetic dermal filler products in Western Europe.
Takeda Pharmaceutical on its EUR 9.6bn (debt-free cash free) acquisition of Swiss drug company, Nycomed.
Futura Medical, an AIM listed company, in relation to the licensing of its CSD500 product to major pharmaceutical and healthcare group, including Church & Dwight and Ansell. We have advised on the commercial agreements with contract manufacturers and own brand labellers as well as the associated technical and quality agreements.
On the establishment of the Francis Crick Institute, a consortium of Cancer Research UK, the MRC, UCL and the Wellcome Trust, as a world leading establishment for medical research and innovation at Kings Cross, London, together with ongoing operational advice.
Nestlé Health Science on its licence agreement with Lipid Therapeutics for exclusive rights to develop and commercialise a new therapeutic for treating mild to moderate ulcerative colitis.
hVIVO plc, an AIM listed company, on its interests in PrEP Biopharm and also on PrEP Biopharm’s licensing arrangements with Janssen Pharmaceuticals with respect to technologies to be developed and commercialised for the treatment of a variety of respiratory viruses.
Bayer Crop Science in relation to the sale of its Norwich based manufacturing business (now Briar Chemicals Limited) to the Aurelius Group.
Chugui Pharma Marketing in relation to the license of exclusive commercialisation rights to Swiss based Helsiun group’s innovative ghrelin receptor agonist, anamorelin, for the three major European pharmaceutical markets.
Syncona on its collaboration with the University of Edinburgh Centre for Regenerative Medicine and subsequent establishment and licensing of technology to Resolution Therapeutics.
Contura on the divestment of its rights to the Bulkamid product for up to $235m together with the associated manufacturing agreement for supply of Bulkamid with rights to a technology transfer.
CooperSurgical on the purchase of Safe Obstetric Systems, the manufacturer of the Fetal Pillow.
The shareholders of the Essential Group on its disposal to Gyrus Capital.

Publications

European Biopharmaceutical Review – eHealth opportunities for the biopharmaceutical industry

Memberships & Roles

ABHI
ABPI
Biotech Industry Association
Society for Computers & Law
TechUK

Lectures list

EU Pharma Law Conference

Education

2004 – Intellectual Property Diploma, Bristol University, Bristol
1994 – Distinction, The College of Law, LPC, Chester
1993 – BA (Hons) Cantab Law 2:1, St John’s College, Cambridge

Sarah Hanson is a Partner in the technology team and is a representative on the management committee of the CMS Commercial Law Group as well as being an active member of the firm’s Technology, Media and Communications sector group.

Sarah is also the Global Co-Head of the CMS Life Sciences & Healthcare Group. In this position, she jointly leads an international team of more than 480 lawyers, patent attorneys, scientists and academics’ across CMS. Sarah was formerly the Co-Head of the Life Sciences & Healthcare Sector Group for CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang LLP.

She has specialised in high value, cross-border commercial, intellectual property and outsourcing transactions for more than 20 years having advised on a broad range of commercial agreements relating to in and out licensing, sales and distributor arrangements, research and development, manufacturing and supply, strategic alliances and joint ventures. She also provides data privacy advice to clients on a broad range of issues.

Awards & Recognitions

01 –

Quote

Listed as a Recommended Individual: transactions

IAM Patent 1000, United Kingdom: England and Wales 2024
Quote

Handling high-value IP transactions with exceptional sophistication, Sarah Hanson is a forward-thinking practitioner who deftly identifies and mitigates risk for her clientele, to sign and seal lucrative agreements.

IAM Patent 1000
Quote

"Sarah Hanson is an excellent commercial lawyer, especially when it comes to extremely complex matters."

Chambers & Partners
Quote

"Ranked a Global Leader in Life Sciences - Transactional"

Who’s Who Legal
Quote

Sarah Hanson is ranked in Chambers and Partners for Life Sciences: Transactional with Chambers reporting that Sarah ‘has acted on some of the most iconic deals of recent times’ and client feedback including "Sarah Hanson has deep topic and matter expertise in life sciences." "Sarah is really good and clients really like her."

Chambers & Partners
Quote

Sarah Hanson is ranked in Legal 500 and client feedback includes "Sarah Hanson – responsive to enquiries and pragmatic advice provided."

Legal 500
Quote

"Sarah is 'a fantastic client care partner’ and is ranked as a Leading Individual in Legal 500 for Life Sciences and Healthcare."

Legal 500
Quote

Ranked as a Leading Individual for Commercial Contracts.

Legal 500

Relevant experience

Otsuka on its digital health and data analytics collaboration with Holmusk Inc and specifically on the transfer of the Otsuka Health Solutions digital assets to Holmusk Inc.
A retail company in relation to a comprehensive IT transformation project with a value of between GBP 1-2bn. The new IT operating model involves the appointment of a ‘service integrator’ supplier who will manage and integrate all IT services. The project also involves appointment of multiple IT “service tower” providers. This includes the following IT services: (i) End User Computing services; (ii) Network services (telecoms networks across company’s entire estate); (iii) Front Office services (front office IT applications including cash and stock management, retail and stock sales, branch accounting); and (iv) Back Office services (back office IT applications including HR, accounting and finance systems).
Camelot in respect of the establishment of the Euro Millions lottery and related matters.
A global company on its transformative HR outsourcing to deliver a new technology platform and service delivery model across multiple regions.
A healthcare company on the adoption of RFID technology to support the management of the supply chain for the distribution of its products from the manufacturer to end users.
An international consumer brands company on its bid for the Boots Consumer Healthcare division including structuring various IP licences and manufacturing arrangements.
A well-known consumer products company in the outsourcing of its back office IT functions to a major IT provider.
A marketing company in relation to a number of contracts with a major supermarket for the design and implementation of various consumer product campaigns.
A UK listed company on the agency agreements to be entered into by it with various distributors across Europe.
A household name drinks company on the logistics and warehousing arrangements for the supply of products in Europe.
A major retail company on various matters including advising on the terms and conditions for its Christmas catalogue, the supply arrangements with a significant procurer of goods and the establishment of its gift voucher scheme.

Publications

European Biopharmaceutical Review – eHealth opportunities for the biopharmaceutical industry

Memberships & Roles

ABHI
ABPI
Biotech Industry Association
Society for Computers & Law
TechUK

Lectures list

EU Pharma Law Conference

Education

2004 – Intellectual Property Diploma, Bristol University, Bristol
1994 – Distinction, The College of Law, LPC, Chester
1993 – BA (Hons) Cantab Law 2:1, St John’s College, Cambridge

Practice Areas

Commercial Commercial Contracts Intellectual Property Life Sciences Regulatory Patents

sectors

Consumer Products Life Sciences & Healthcare eHealth Devices & Diagnostics Pharmaceuticals TMT - Technology, Media & Telecommunications Technology

Insights

Global Reach

UK Pay Gap Report 2024

Insights

Global Reach

UK Pay Gap Report 2024

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Sarah Hanson

Co-Head of the CMS Life Sciences & Healthcare Group

Languages

Social media

Relevant experience

Publications

Memberships & Roles

Lectures list

Education

Relevant experience

Publications

Memberships & Roles

Lectures list

Education

Practice Areas

sectors

Insights by Sarah

CMS strengthens Life Sciences & Healthcare Regulatory offering with partner...

Procurement Cube

The new ABPI 2024 Code of Practice

CMS advises Amber Therapeutics on USD 100m Series A fundraising