Expertise
Insights

CMS lawyers can provide future-facing advice for your business across a variety of specialisms and industries, worldwide.

Explore topics
Insights
About CMS

Select your region

Life Sciences and Healthcare

Future facing legal advisors for your life sciences and healthcare challenges

Latest

CMS LSHC at a glance:
Advising all of the top 20 global pharmaceutical companies, all of the top 10 global medical device companies, health and social care providers, world’s largest biotechnology company, start-ups
480+ lawyers, patent attorneys, scientists and academics globally
Founded Lifesciences Asia-Pacific Network with members in 12 jurisdictions

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.

Highlighted experience

  • Growing healthcare businesses

    ST Pharm Co. Ltd.

    On the acquisition of a 70% stake in AnaPath Services, a Swiss contract laboratory services and histopathology company whilst simultaneously advising AnaPath Services on its 100% acquisition of Spanish contract research organisation, Envigo CRS involving the coordination of three jurisdictions.

  • Growing healthcare businesses

    Welltower, Inc.

    On the USD 4.3bn acquisition of Sunrise Senior Living – Welltower’s entry into the UK market. We subsequently advised on the acquisitions of over USD 500m of care home assets and the GBP 226m sale and leaseback of four acute care hospitals.

  • Growing healthcare businesses

    InstaDeep

    On the sale of InstaDeep to BioNTech, at a value of approximately GBP362 million plus earn-out of up to approximately £200 million.

  • Start-up and market entry

    A leading multi-national pharmaceutical company

    On all aspects relating to its entry to China, including corporate structuring, WFOE set-up, compliance, drug registration and importation, clinical trial requirements, data exclusivity and IP strategy and risk management and contractual documentation.

  • Start-up and market entry

    GW Pharmaceuticals

    On regulatory advice to the UK biopharmaceutical company on the marketing of drugs containing psychotropic substances, covering issues including warehouse authorisations, reimbursement procedures and access to special marketing programmes for innovative drugs.

  • Start-up and market entry

    Echo

    On the sale of Echo, a UK start-up whose app helps people manage their medication and order repeat prescriptions for delivery, to leading healthcare organisation McKesson, owner of LloydsPharmacy.

  • Litigation and product liability

    Johnson & Johnson

    On a successful infringement litigation case regarding imitations of medical devices across multiple jurisdictions, including Austria, the Netherlands, Slovenia, Germany, Belgium, Croatia, Italy and France.

  • Litigation and product liability

    A global US manufacturer

    On defence against a threatened group litigation order by almost 30 claimants following a medical device alert concerning implantable devices.

  • Litigation and product liability

    A major international life sciences company

    On multinational product liability coordination involving crop protection products across six jurisdictions.

  • Patents and regulatory exclusivity

    Eli Lilly

    On representation before the European patent office in contested proceedings relating to CGPR monoclonal antibodies in pain treatments.

  • Patents and regulatory exclusivity

    A Switzerland headquartered biopharmaceutical company focusing on oncology treatment

    On their strategy of partnering with Chinese companies on commercialising and potential local manufacturing of their several products.

  • Patents and regulatory exclusivity

    Boehringer Ingelheim

    On healthcare advertising, competition law and regulatory advice covering several substantial matters.

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.

Awards & Recognitions
01
  • Award
    Public Legal Adviser of the Year
    LaingBuisson Health & Social Care Awards UK 2023
    Quote
    ‘A global powerhouse with deep expertise in the healthcare and life sciences sector’, CMS earns a top position thanks to its genuine dedication to the field. Delivering ‘strong knowledge of the applicable law’, ‘significant practical experience’ and a ‘consistently thorough approach.
    Legal 500
  • Award
    Biotechnology, Food & Healthcare sector (Gold) Chemistry & Pharma (Silver)
    FT Europe’s Leading Patent Law Firm 2022-2024
    Quote
    This firm bristles with the talent and experience necessary for a comprehensive life sciences practice, and excels accordingly. Core areas of strength include product liability and patent litigation, competition law, regulatory advice, commercial and corporate support.
    Chambers & Partners
  • Award
    Healthcare Law Firm of the Year
    JuVe Germany 2019
    Quote
    Solid across the full cycle of life sciences matters, with respected teams in Asia and a spread of offices across Europe. Well versed in regulatory, transactional, product liability and IP work.
    Chambers & Partners
  • Award
    Lawyer of the Year for Pharmaceuticals Law - Jens Wagner
    Best Lawyers, 2023
    Award
    Lawyer of the Year - Mauricio Gomez
    Legal 500 Mexico Awards 2023
  • Award
    #1 Life Sciences & Healthcare: Hungary, Scotland
    Chambers & Partners
    Award
    #1 Healthcare UK (Scotland)
    Legal 500

Events

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
People across CMS Find a Lawyer
6,800+ Lawyers
1,300+ Partners
Locations across CMS Find an office
45+ Countries
80+ Offices
21 Member firms