Artificial intelligence in life sciences

AI is becoming embedded in company lifecycles, from early-stage drug discovery and clinical development, through to AI-enabled diagnostics and digital health products. In drug discovery, AI is speeding up target identification, generative chemistry, and predictive modelling. This may raise questions around IP assets, particularly if there is any collaborative relationship with an AI provider. Our experts regularly advise on the in-licensing of AI models, data, and code, and on the implications for downstream ownership of IP assets according to collaboration and software development agreements.

AI is also changing how clinical trials are designed and run, from patient identification and recruitment, to AI-assisted monitoring and analysis. As trial sponsors and technology providers work more closely together, we help structure the data sharing, licensing and collaboration arrangements that sit behind AI-enabled trial methodologies, alongside the data protection and governance frameworks needed where health data is used to train or validate AI systems.

In medical devices and diagnostics, our specialists advise on regulatory, patent, data and commercial issues, including the use of public and customer-contributed data sets for machine learning and predictive analysis, and the privacy and governance documentation required to support ongoing research and product development.

We have a particularly strong track record supporting spin-outs and funding rounds, working closely with universities, research institutions, founders and investors from the earliest stages of formation, structuring the licensing of AI models, data, code and IP from multiple academic and commercial owners, and accompanying spin-outs through successive funding rounds as they scale. As these businesses grow, we can also draw on the firm’s wider life sciences offering, giving clients joined-up support on related corporate, employment, immigration, tax, real estate, disputes and regulatory issues.