Our intellectual property specialists have significant experience in the application for, or protection of patent, copyright and trade mark rights.  The team is also able to assist in the licensing of any intellectual property relating to your biotechnology products.

Our corporate and commercial team has significant experience in assisting clients in the establishment of a business, advising on all stages of the process from research and development, to industry compliance, employment law and start-up finance.  The team is also experienced in the due diligence process, and able to assist you with the most effective way to acquire or dispose of a biotechnology or life sciences business, whether you are a small-scale university spin-out or an industry leader.

Clients and services

We represent a spectrum of clients, from venture backed start-ups, research institutions, to some of the world’s leading biotechnology, pharmaceutical and medical device companies.

Our team will guide you through all legal issues in relation to the biotechnology and life sciences industry.  We advise on:

  • Business formation processes and start-up financing, including venture capital finance
  • Structuring an investment in the bio-sciences industry, including any relevant tax structuring
  • Patent prosecution, opinions and due diligence and trade mark, branding and copyright certification, licensing and protection
  • Labelling and regulatory compliance, such as in relation to the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms legislation
  • Product liability
  • Competition issues
  • Employment law matters, including executive compensation
  • Software development, distribution and licensing
  • Research and development collaborations and licensing
  • Marketing arrangements
  • Undertaking due diligence, including analysis of all issues specific to the industry
  • Preparation and negotiation of sale and purchase agreements and ancillary commercial agreements, including licensing agreements, confidentiality agreements, distribution agreements, manufacture and supply agreements, intellectual property licensing agreements and software usage agreements

Recent work

  • Advising ZyGEM, a biotechnology company specialising in DNA extraction and testing, on capital raising, third party contracts and corporate restructuring matters
  • Advising ZyGEM on the acquisition of United States based MicroLab Diagnostics
  • Advising AgResearch, New Zealand’s largest Crown Research Institute, on various corporate matters, including the fund formation of BioPacificVentures, a NZ$150m life sciences venture capital fund and on the sale of animal vaccine company AgVax Developments to Intervet
  • Advising Lypanosys, a pharmaceutical company specialising in dermatological products, on a capital raising from various venture capital sponsors, including iGlobe Treasury Management, Cure Kids Ventures, Ice Angels Investments and NZVIF (Seed Fund)
  • Advising Aquaflow Bionomic, a company pioneering the conversion of naturally occurring algae into biofuel, on various corporate matters including a capital raising
  • Advising Carbonscape, a company specialising in the conversion of plant matter into various green by-products, on various corporate matters
  • Advising Tatua Co-operative Dairy Company on successful approval process for new meat processing technology, including amendments to the Food Standards Code
  • Advising the Environmental Risk Management Authority on amendments to hazardous substances legislation (including drafting of regulations and gazetted rules)
  • Acting for Endeavour i-Cap on its investment in Veritide which has created an anthrax detection device, and Proacta Therapeutics, a pharmaceutical company specialising in products that target cancer
  • Advising Protemix, a pharmaceutical company specialising in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease and diabetes, on capital raising matters, third party contracts and technology licensing
  • Advising NZSX and ASX listed Genesis Research and Development on conversion of its rights to royalties to an interest in Real Time Genomics
  • Advising EnCoate Holdings, a company specialising in the stabilisation of bacteria, on an investment by BioPacificVentures
  • Advising Crop Solutions regarding the commercial and intellectual property aspects of its investments in entomopathogenic products and technologies
  • Advising Glyvale, the producer of a diabetes detection kit, on various corporate matters