Biotechnology and Life Sciences

Armstrong Teasdale conducts a comprehensive biotechnology and life sciences business and intellectual property law practice. The group represents emerging and established companies, universities and research institutions, and scientists. Our clients are active in a variety of disciplines including tissue transplantation, plant and animal biotechnology, pharmaceutical products, medical devices, and FDA trials management.

The Biotechnology and Life Sciences Areas of Practice

Venture Capital. The Biotechnology and Life Sciences Practice Group works with the firm's biotechnology and life sciences growth company clients to secure funding through private placements, from venture capital funds, and from other sources. Since 2000, the firm has represented emerging biotechnology and life science companies in over 20 investment rounds, totaling over $60 million of capital raised.

Intellectual Property. The firm’s life sciences patent prosecution practice includes eight patent attorneys with degrees in biology, chemistry, biomedical engineering, genetic engineering and  organic chemistry. Their experience includes pharmaceuticals, chemicals, herbicides, bioelectrical devices, medical devices, skin science, polymeric materials and other fields.

Litigation. Armstrong Teasdale conducts an active and diverse litigation practice that involves many areas of significance to biotechnology and life science clients. These include patent infringement litigation involving GMO products and other biotechnology and bio-chemical issues. The litigation practice also includes a wide range of product liability, antitrust, contract and licensing disputes, trade secrets, commercial, corporate and securities matters.

Corporate Partnering. The firm has represented established and emerging biotechnology and life sciences clients in structuring and negotiating corporate partnering agreements. Since 2000, the firm has represented biotechnology and life science companies in over 20 corporate partnering transactions valued in excess of a total of $80 million.

Legislative, Public and Governmental Affairs. The firm's government relations professionals represent the medical and  biomedical research communities before Congress, the White House, federal agencies and in many state capitols, with active government relations offices in Washington, D.C., Jefferson City, Missouri. From "bench to bedside," clients include researchers, scientists and clinicians and represent scientists and physicians at major medical and research institutions.

University Licensing and Sponsored Research. Armstrong Teasdale's experience with university licensing and sponsored research includes projects involving universities throughout the United States. We also represent midwest research institutions with respect to patent prosecution and venture capital matters.

Labor and Employment. The labor and employment practice is national and comprehensive. Biotechnology and life sciences clients are represented in employment and terminations, immigration, OSHA, non-compete litigation, labor-union relations and employment law counseling.

Facilities Development and Financing. Group members actively work with biotechnology and life sciences clients in developing and financing new facilities. As necessary, members draw up the resources of other lawyers in the areas of public finance, real estate and environmental law. Recent projects include a major expansion of a major pharmaceutical research campus and a university research building.

Mergers and Acquisitions. The biotechnology and life sciences practice includes an active mergers and acquisitions practice.

Corporate Counseling. Biotechnology and life sciences lawyers work with clients with respect to company formation, stock option, medical records, manufacturing, distribution, clinical research organizations and other issues facing the biotechnology and life sciences industry. In this regard, lawyers have represented clients in numerous research, collaboration, license, consulting, confidentiality, material transfer, biological services and other biotechnology and life sciences agreements.

Active Industry Involvement. The biotechnology and life sciences lawyers are active in many life sciences and venture capital organizations and activities, often assuming leadership roles. Organizations in which lawyers are active include the American Bar Association Venture Capital Committee, ABA Biotechnology Committee, InvestMidwest Venture Capital Conference, Missouri Biotechnology Association, Missouri Venture Forum, Kansas City Area Development Council, St. Louis Coalition for Plant and Life Sciences, Technology Gateway Life Sciences Network, and the St. Louis Capital Alliance.

Selected Biotechnology and Life Sciences Clients

Client Announcements

Armstrong Teasdale's biotechnology and life sciences clients are involved in a wide variety of transactions. Listed below are announcements by our clients of some of these transactions. It is important to remember that each situation is different and must be addressed on its own merits. Past results afford no guarantee of future results. In each listing, the Armstrong Teasdale client is listed first.

September 12, 2006

February 10 , 2006

Recent Professional Activities

Andy Hoyne is chairing a model forms taskforce of the American Bar Association's Biotechnology Committee.

The American Bar Association recently published a book entitled Biotechnology and the Law. Andrew T. Hoyne, Mark L. Stoneman and Steven E. Pozaric authored Chapter 3 on “Company Formation.” For more information on the book, please visit www.abanet.org/scitech.

Armstrong Teasdale served as  the presenting sponsor for BioTrends Midwest 2005, which featured a panel of leading industry professionals  and policymakers who will identify new business and legal trends impacting the  life sciences and healthcare technology industries.

Members of the Biotechnology and Life Sciences Practice Group