Life sciences

The patent practitioners at transactional titan Penningtons Manches Cooper deploy their keen commercial instincts and deep sectoral knowledge to superb effect.

IAM Patent 1000 – The World’s Leading Patent Practitioners

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Our award winning life sciences practice provides comprehensive, business oriented advice, bringing extensive legal, scientific and industry specific insights to its medical device, pharmaceutical and biotechnology clients.

These organisations appreciate our responsive and pragmatic approach, combining the excellence of City trained lawyers with regional access. A number of our specialists have extensive experience of working in-house within life sciences companies and many have science backgrounds including biotechnology, chemistry, neuroscience and biochemical engineering.

Our team acts for small and medium sized clients, larger plcs and multi-national enterprises. In addition, we work closely with research organisations to enable the effective adoption and transfer of technology and its further development. We also represent a number of venture capital funds.

We provide the full range of legal, commercial and regulatory advice to clients and understand that the life sciences field is fast-moving and competitive. Effective legal support is essential at all stages of any life science business and we offer a service which is imaginative as well as realistic.

Penningtons Manches Cooper takes an active role in organisations that support the life sciences industry, both on a local level, such as OBN, and internationally, and has strong links to life science specialists outside the UK.

Our life sciences team has won a variety of ‘Law Firm of the Year’ awards for its expertise and excellence in the life sciences industry including Global Law Experts Client Choice and Corporate INTL’s Life Sciences Law Firm of the Year in England.

We offer expert advice on:

  • commercial agreements including research, collaboration, clinical trial, manufacture and supply, out and in licensing agreements and technology transfer
  • company establishment and funding rounds
  • company and product acquisitions and sales
  • pharmacy acquisitions, joint ventures and business structuring
  • patent and IP litigation including cross-border litigation
  • resolution of contract and other disputes – domestic and international arbitration and mediation
  • contentious and non-contentious employment matters, employee relations and business protection
  • immigration solutions including assistance with sponsor licensing, business visitors and EEA applications
  • private and public debt and equity funding
  • property and construction matters
  • regulatory and competition issues
  • taxation issues including R&D tax credits and the 'patent box'

Recent work highlights

Immune response technology

Assisting Immunocore on the negotiation of two multi-million dollar strategic licensing agreements with Genentech Inc and with GlaxoSmithKline, reported to be the largest pharmaceutical licensing deals in the UK at the time.


Global anti-malarial portfolio

Advising an ASX listed company on the creation of a new Australian entity, the assignment of key patents and licences, and amendment of the governance documentation to provide global rights to an innovative anti-malarial technology.


International patent licensing programme

Supporting Oxford Gene Technology on the global licensing and enforcement of the 'Southern' microarray patents; and on the licensing of its biomarker technology for the detection and monitoring of cancers.

Related expertise

Penningtons Manches Cooper LLP

Penningtons Manches Cooper LLP is a limited liability partnership registered in England and Wales with registered number OC311575 and is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority under number 419867.

Penningtons Manches Cooper LLP