Life Sciences and Healthcare
Future facing legal advisors for your life sciences and healthcare challenges
Latest
Key contacts
With more than 480 lawyers, patent attorneys, scientists and academics’ across CMS and the support of the Life Sciences Asia-Pacific Network (LAN), we understand the scientific and commercial as well as the legal imperatives affecting your life sciences & healthcare business. We work with and have established long-term relationships with the top 100 life sciences & healthcare companies in the areas of pharmaceuticals, medical devices, biotechnology, agriculture and food, including the top 20 global pharmaceutical companies and the top 10 global medical device companies.
Our experts, many of whom have worked in-house in your sector, have developed a shared capability in the areas of pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, medical devices and diagnostics. With active memberships in major industry associations such as the Association of the British Healthcare Industries (ABHI), Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI), MedTech Europe and Bundesverband Medizintechnologie (BVMed), we help shape the legal frameworks impacting the life sciences & healthcare sector. We regularly advise our clients on their day-to-day operational needs such as support with advertisement and promotion of medicine, public sector procurement, pricing and reimbursement, patent enforcement, commercial and clinical trial agreements as well as regulatory advice. Equally, when you need life sciences & healthcare specialist advice for strategic agreements, planning a corporate transaction or embarking on litigation (whether product liability or otherwise), we have a team that is well versed in the industry issues to help you.
A vital sector
In a highly regulated global sector that is constantly evolving, you need lawyers who truly understand your local and cross-border goals. CMS sector specialists deliver local legal and industry expertise with a global outlook, where and when you need us. Our global life sciences & healthcare team offers you proactive support across Europe, Africa, the Middle East, South America and Asia-Pacific.
We are one of the few law firms who can advise you across the full spectrum of legal, regulatory and commercial issues affecting your business. Our services cover complex regulatory, product liability, competition, procurement, commercial and IP issues – including patent prosecution, EPO opposition and regulatory exclusivity product life extension. We can also advise on your disputes, M&A and financing.
Our team includes lawyers, scientists, patent attorneys and academics, and a number of our team have worked in-house. With such a complete team, we pay just as much attention to industry trends and the bigger picture, and what they mean for our clients as to the issues of today.
It is only possible to prepare for the future when you truly understand the present. A key point of difference for CMS is its depth of understanding, and hence leadership, in the life science & healthcare sector. This deep knowledge creates the ability to anticipate further challenges, innovate and move quickly to meet them.
CMS helps you keep on top of key legal and regulatory issues. Many of our lawyers are active members of leading industry bodies, including the Association of the British Healthcare Industries (ABHI), Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI), MedTech Europe and Bundesverband Medizintechnologie (BVMed). We bring you the latest news and insights into the developments impacting your industry and business, helping you to shape effective strategies and policies.
Read more about Lifesciences & Healtcare Sector
Legal experts for Life Sciences & Healthcare




Highlighted experience
Case studies
CMS provided advice and guidance to a pioneering start-up on the legal framework for selling medicinal cannabis, produced in California, in multiple European countries. Our advice covered the cultivation, import, sale, supply and marketing of medicinal cannabis in EU jurisdictions including the Netherlands, Italy, UK, Belgium, France, Germany, Portugal and Spain.
CMS is a leading adviser to the medicinal cannabis industry, which has become a growth business in recent years. Our advice reflected the evolving political and ethical implications of the cannabis business and the different regulatory approaches being taken within the EU.
The acquisition involved multiple locations across Europe, including Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Serbia, Turkiye, UK and Ukraine. CMS provided a dedicated team of over 80 lawyers, coordinated from Germany, to deliver medical device and cross-border expertise. Our advice covered all M&A aspects of the transaction, IVDR and other regulatory aspects, antitrust and FDI filings, the carve out of the clinical chemistry business and support on the employee consultation processes in France and the Netherlands.
Bruker Corporation has made significant investments over the last few months, which CMS has supported on, including the definitive agreement for the acquisition of Chemspeed Technologies AG, a Swiss provider of vendor-agnostic automated laboratory R&D and QC workflow solutions. In addition, the partnership with Swiss firm Biognosys AG to deliver advanced proteomics CRO services for US biopharma and biomarker customers.
Life Sciences & Healthcare Insights
Local market knowledge. Global outlook
We provide future-facing legal advice to help your organisation thrive. Combining local market knowledge and a global perspective, and with lawyers in locations worldwide, your organisation benefits from the expertise it needs, even across borders.
About CMS