Life Sciences

  • October 10, 2024

    Pfizer Threatened To Sue Former Execs, Starboard Says

    Activist investment firm Starboard Value has set its sights on pharmaceutical giant Pfizer, issuing a letter Thursday that alleges Pfizer has threatened to sue former executives that Starboard is working with and expresses "concerns about the trajectory of the business."

  • October 10, 2024

    Hyundai Plans IPO For Indian Biz, Plus More Rumors

    Hyundai's Indian unit is eyeing a massive $3.3 billion initial public offering, rumors are swirling regarding ownership stakes of major European soccer clubs, and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund may buy a $1 billion minority stake in sports-streaming giant DAZN. Here, Law360 breaks down these and other notable rumors from the past week.

  • October 09, 2024

    CVS, United Health Seek Removal Of FTC's Khan In PBM Case

    Major pharmacy benefit manager owners are calling on a Federal Trade Commission administrative judge to disqualify three Democratic FTC commissioners from the agency's in-house lawsuit accusing them of artificially inflating insulin prices, arguing that the commissioners have repeatedly vilified PBMs and prejudged the proceeding.

  • October 09, 2024

    Philips Preserves Lanham Act Counterclaim In CPAP Cleaner MDL

    A Pennsylvania federal judge has trimmed some counterclaims by Koninklijke Philips NV and its American affiliates against SoClean Inc., whose cleaning products they say are responsible for damage to Philips' CPAP machines.

  • October 09, 2024

    Companies' Kratom Supplements Are Addictive, Class Says

    A proposed class of buyers is suing Thang Botanicals Inc. and FTLS Holdings in California federal court, alleging that they failed to disclose that their kratom-derived 7ΩHMZ products are as addictive as opioids, if not more.

  • October 09, 2024

    DLA Piper Adds Former Faegre Drinker Litigator In Philly

    DLA Piper has expanded its litigation services in the Philadelphia office this week by adding an attorney with more than 30 years of courtroom experience.

  • October 09, 2024

    GSK Settles Nearly All State Zantac Cases For Up To $2.2B

    GSK said Wednesday that it will pay up to $2.2 billion to settle roughly 80,000 state court cases claiming Zantac heartburn medication or the generic ranitidine caused them to develop cancer.

  • October 09, 2024

    Lead Test Maker Vows Compliance As $42M Deal Approved

    The general counsel of Magellan Diagnostics promised Wednesday that the medical device maker "will be better," as a Boston federal judge officially sentenced the company for hiding flaws in its lead-testing kits, signing off on a $42 million plea agreement.

  • October 09, 2024

    Medical Device Service Co. Hits Ch. 11 After Fight With Rival

    The parent company of medical device sale and service business Avante Health Solutions filed for Chapter 11 protection in Delaware court, saying prepetition litigation with competitors drained significant resources that led to a default on its secured debt obligations.

  • October 08, 2024

    Apple Loses Bid For Jury Trial In Masimo Trade Secrets Fight

    A California federal judge on Monday granted Masimo's request for a bench trial to address its trade secrets claims against Apple, noting that bench trials are almost always granted in situations where the plaintiff is seeking only equitable relief, and Apple hasn't convinced the court to deviate from that norm.

  • October 08, 2024

    Illumina Wants Unresponsive Plaintiff To Pay $200K, Atty Fees

    Biotechnology company Illumina Inc. asked a New Jersey federal court Tuesday to order a former graduate student to pay $200,000 in liquidated damages for allegedly failing to respond to attempts to finalize a settlement to his claims that attorneys from Latham & Watkins LLP and Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP manipulated a patent case to steal his intellectual property.

  • October 08, 2024

    Ropes & Gray Attys Chided For Wielding Excessive Footnotes

    A D.C. federal judge on Tuesday struck a summary judgment motion penned by Ropes & Gray LLP lawyers representing Vertex Pharmaceuticals in a challenge to the government's interpretation of the Anti-Kickback Statute, finding that the filing improperly employed "excessive" footnotes to circumvent page limitations.

  • October 08, 2024

    Jackson, Kagan Target Loper Bright In Ghost Gun Case

    U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson was uncharacteristically quiet during initial arguments Tuesday over the federal government's authority to regulate ghost guns. While her colleagues debated whether kits of unassembled parts qualify as firearms, she waited patiently to post a different question: Can courts now toss agency interpretations they don't like?

  • October 08, 2024

    Fed. Circ. Mulls Trade Dress Fight Over Pink Hip Devices

    A Federal Circuit panel wrestled Tuesday with arguments from a German medical supplier that "late-breaking research" shows why the appearance of the color pink in a part of hip joint implants is not as functional as the company used to claim in the marketplace.

  • October 08, 2024

    2nd Circ. Won't Revive 1-800 Contacts, Warby Parker Row

    A Second Circuit panel affirmed a ruling Tuesday that found eyewear retailer Warby Parker did not infringe 1-800 Contacts Inc.'s trademarks by purchasing ads on search engines using its competitor's keywords.

  • October 08, 2024

    CooperSurgical Fails To Escape Embryo Solution Recall Suits

    A California state judge on Tuesday declined to dismiss four lawsuits filed against CooperSurgical Inc. by individuals or couples who allege the company failed to recall a toxic solution before it destroyed their developing embryos, trimming a few claims but otherwise keeping the suits intact. 

  • October 08, 2024

    Elanco Misled Investors About Dog Medicine Safety, Suit Says

    An Elanco investor lodged a proposed securities class action against the animal pharmaceutics company on Monday, telling a Maryland federal court that the company misled investors about the safety of a canine dermatitis treatment it was developing and its timelines for drug launches.

  • October 08, 2024

    3rd Circ. Directs Court To Explain If Natera Ads 'Literally False'

    A Third Circuit panel on Tuesday sent allegations of false advertising against medical test maker Natera back to district court, directing the judge to determine whether a jury had sufficient evidence last year to find that eight of the company's advertisements were "literally false."

  • October 08, 2024

    3rd Circ. Preview: Constitutional Rights Fears Top October

    Constitutional challenges dominate an October argument lineup that will task the Third Circuit with mulling drug price fights by AstraZeneca and other pharmaceutical powerhouses and a suit by a Pennsylvania man claiming his past convictions don't foreclose his right to own a gun. 

  • October 08, 2024

    J&J Greenwashes '100% Plant-Based' Wipes, Suit Says

    Johnson & Johnson customers hit the pharmaceutical giant with a putative false advertising class action in California federal court alleging its line of Aveeno makeup removing wipes are not 100% plant-based or environmentally friendly as the package claims.

  • October 08, 2024

    Doctor Wants New Trial In $16.4M Suit Over Patient's Suicide

    A doctor urged the Georgia Court of Appeals on Tuesday to order a new trial in a $16.4 million wrongful death lawsuit brought by the family of a man who died by suicide after being prescribed an antidepressant that can cause suicidal tendencies, particularly after the consumption of alcohol.

  • October 08, 2024

    College Admins Beat Ex-Prof's Suit Over Race-Based Study

    Cleveland State University faculty defeated a former professor's suit alleging he was unlawfully fired for publishing research asserting intelligence differences between white and Black people, with an Ohio federal judge finding he was let go for abusing access to restricted data, not his research subject.

  • October 07, 2024

    9th Circ. Asked To Take Another Look At 'Patent Misuse' Case

    Atrium Medical Corp. has urged the full Ninth Circuit to reconsider a panel ruling siding with rival medical product maker C.R. Bard in a $52.8 million lawsuit over patent royalty provisions, saying the panel "inappropriately dispensed with the evidence adduced below and the district court's fact-finding."

  • October 07, 2024

    AbbVie's Top Brass Escape Suit Over Rinvoq Claims, For Now

    An Illinois federal judge Friday tossed AbbVie investors' suit challenging directors' statements about the potential for its rheumatoid arthritis drug Rinvoq to be approved for other conditions, a possibility that collapsed over safety risks with Pfizer's competing drug Xeljanz, finding the investors don't allege the directors knew Xeljanz's results would affect Rinvoq.

  • October 07, 2024

    Boehringer Defends Zantac As Cancer Jury Trial Kicks Off

    Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals defended the company's heartburn medication Zantac during the defense's opening statements in a product liability trial Monday, telling California jurors that trial evidence will show the plaintiff never used Boehringer's over-the-counter Zantac products, and that other risk factors put him at risk of developing bladder cancer.

Expert Analysis

  • Opinion

    A New Way Forward For COVID Vaccine Lawsuit Immunity

    Author Photo

    As Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act protections for COVID-19 vaccines wane, adding those vaccines to coverage by the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program would bolster defenses for administrators and manufacturers while also providing stronger remedies for those injured by vaccines, says Altom Maglio at MCT Law.

  • Opinion

    The Big Issues A BigLaw Associates' Union Could Address

    Author Photo

    A BigLaw associates’ union could address a number of issues that have the potential to meaningfully improve working conditions, diversity and attorney well-being — from restructured billable hour requirements to origination credit allocation, return-to-office mandates and more, says Tara Rhoades at The Sanity Plea.

  • Opinion

    It's Time For A BigLaw Associates' Union

    Author Photo

    As BigLaw faces a steady stream of criticism about its employment policies and practices, an associates union could effect real change — and it could start with law students organizing around opposition to recent recruiting trends, says Tara Rhoades at The Sanity Plea.

  • How Justices Upended The Administrative Procedure Act

    Author Photo

    In its recent Loper Bright, Corner Post and Jarkesy decisions, the U.S. Supreme Court fundamentally changed the Administrative Procedure Act in ways that undermine Congress and the executive branch, shift power to the judiciary, curtail public and business input, and create great uncertainty, say Alene Taber and Beth Hummer at Hanson Bridgett.

  • Parsing FY 2024 DOJ Criminal Healthcare Fraud Enforcement

    Author Photo

    While the U.S. Department of Justice's Criminal Division's strike force on healthcare fraud enforcement action shows an impressive doubling of criminal indictments, a closer look at the data offers important clues about underlying trends, including the comparably modest, accompanying increase in associated intended loss, say Roderick Thomas and Kathleen Cooperstein at Wiley.

  • How Cos. With Chinese Suppliers Should Prep For Biotech Bill

    Author Photo

    A proposed bill to prohibit government-affiliated life sciences companies from contracting with Chinese biotech companies of concern may necessitate switching to other sources for research and supplies, meaning they should begin evaluating supply chains now due to the long lead times of drug development, say John O'Loughlin and Christina Carone at Weil Gotshal.

  • Mirror, Mirror On The Wall, Is My Counterclaim Bound To Fall?

    Author Photo

    A Pennsylvania federal court’s recent dismissal of the defendants’ counterclaims in Morgan v. Noss should remind attorneys to avoid the temptation to repackage a claim’s facts and law into a mirror-image counterclaim, as this approach will often result in a waste of time and resources, says Matthew Selmasska at Kaufman Dolowich.

  • Can Chapter 15 Bankruptcy Help Cannabis Businesses?

    Author Photo

    Attorneys at Fox Rothschild consider whether Chapter 15 may be used as a tool to liquidate U.S. assets of cannabis companies in foreign bankruptcy proceedings, and look at the statutory provisions that may have a bearing on the successful liquidation of assets under the Bankruptcy Code.

  • FTC's Drug Middlemen Probe Highlights Ongoing Scrutiny

    Author Photo

    The Federal Trade Commission's interim staff report on its inquiry into pharmacy benefit managers suggests that the industry will remain under an enforcement microscope for the foreseeable future due to concerns about how PBMs affect drug costs and accessibility, say attorneys at Arnold & Porter.

  • Series

    Playing Dungeons & Dragons Makes Me A Better Lawyer

    Author Photo

    Playing Dungeons & Dragons – a tabletop role-playing game – helped pave the way for my legal career by providing me with foundational skills such as persuasion and team building, says Derrick Carman at Robins Kaplan.

  • Del. Dispatch: Director Caremark Claims Need Extreme Facts

    Author Photo

    The Delaware Court of Chancery recently dismissed Caremark claims against the directors of Centene in Bricklayers Pension Fund of Western Pennsylvania v. Brinkley, indicating a high bar for a finding of the required element of bad faith for Caremark liability, and stressing the need to resist hindsight bias, say attorneys at Fried Frank.

  • Parsing NJ Court's Rationale For Denying Lipitor Class Cert.

    Author Photo

    A New Jersey federal court's recent Lipitor rulings granting summary judgment and denying motions for class certification for two plaintiff classes offer insight into the level of rigorous analysis required by both parties and their experts to satisfy the requirements of class certification, says Catia Twal at Edgeworth Economics.

  • Gilead Drug Ruling Creates Corporate Governance Dilemma

    Author Photo

    If upheld, a California state appellate court's decision — finding that Gilead is liable for delaying commercialization of a safer HIV drug to maximize profits on another drug — threatens to undermine long-standing rules of corporate law and exposes companies to liability for decisions based on sound business judgment, says Shireen Barday at Pallas.

  • 3 Leadership Practices For A More Supportive Firm Culture

    Author Photo

    Traditional leadership styles frequently amplify the inherent pressures of legal work, but a few simple, time-neutral strategies can strengthen the skills and confidence of employees and foster a more collaborative culture, while supporting individual growth and contribution to organizational goals, says Benjamin Grimes at BKG Leadership.

  • Rebuttal

    Cancer Research Org. Is Right To Avoid Corporate Influence

    Author Photo

    While a previous Law360 guest article criticizes the International Agency for Research on Cancer's processes, its reliance on peer-reviewed literature is proper and its refusal to allow corporate influence is sound science, say Lance Oliver and Ridge Mazingo at Motley Rice.

Want to publish in Law360?


Submit an idea

Have a news tip?


Contact us here
Can't find the article you're looking for? Click here to search the Life Sciences archive.
Hello! I'm Law360's automated support bot.

How can I help you today?

For example, you can type:
  • I forgot my password
  • I took a free trial but didn't get a verification email
  • How do I sign up for a newsletter?
Ask a question!