Deals & Corporate Governance
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December 05, 2024
Providers' $2.8B BCBS Antitrust Deal Gets Judge's Initial OK
An Alabama federal judge has given his initial approval for a $2.8 billion settlement inked between Blue Cross Blue Shield Association and a proposed class of medical providers in a more than 12-year-old antitrust case targeting association rules.
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December 05, 2024
FINRA Fines Firm $900K Over SPAC Underwriting Fee Issues
The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority has fined New York-based LifeSci Capital LLC nearly $1 million over claims that it received and failed to disclose unfair and unreasonable fees for an initial public offering it underwrote.
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December 04, 2024
Withers IP Partners Hop To Sullivan & Worcester
Sullivan & Worcester LLP has said the Boston firm picked up a team of five intellectual property lawyers, including two partners, from Withers who have expertise in filing patents and working on deals for biotech startups.
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December 04, 2024
Aya Healthcare Buys Fla. Peer Cross Country In $615M Deal
Talent software and staffing company Aya Healthcare, steered by Procopio, will acquire Davis Polk & Wardwell-guided Cross Country Healthcare in an $18.61-per-share cash transaction worth roughly $615 million that will take the company private, according to a Wednesday statement.
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December 04, 2024
Fed. Circ. Judge Condemns 'Nonsense' Law In Antibody Fight
U.S. Circuit Judge Todd Hughes called the Federal Circuit's case law on interpreting preambles in patent claims "nonsense" on Wednesday, expressing frustration as a panel tried to work through whether Xencor Inc.'s antibody patent application was too broad.
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December 03, 2024
US Claims Court Backs HHS Agency's $20.5M IT Deal Choice
A federal claims court judge has denied a protest of a $20.5 million U.S. Department of Health and Human Services information technology deal, saying an HHS agency reasonably concluded that it had only "some confidence" in a government contractor protester.
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December 03, 2024
SEC Says Biopharma's Cooperation Helped It Avoid Penalty
A Houston biopharmaceutical company accused of misleading investors about the regulatory status of two cancer drugs agreed to settle the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's action against it on Tuesday without paying a dime, in recognition of what the SEC said was the company's self-reporting and cooperation with investigators.
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December 03, 2024
9th Circ. Ponders AIDS Generic Drug Reimbursement
A Ninth Circuit panel heard arguments Tuesday on a Seattle pharmacy's dispute with a benefits manager over reimbursements for the generic version of the HIV/AIDS drug Truvada, with one judge asking if the pharmacy was stuck with a lopsided deal, but also questioning if the contract obligated the payments.
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December 03, 2024
Chancery Orders Revenue Trust For Healthcare Co. 'Poaching'
A home health company formed through secret poaching by an allegedly disloyal former CEO, two officers and two private equities has been ordered to earmark much of its future revenue to a trust for the corporate victims, in a Delaware Court of Chancery ruling that described the subterfuge as "stunning."
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December 03, 2024
$1B Sandoz Placeholder Bid Needs More Support, Judge Says
A Connecticut federal judge on Tuesday said he cannot force Novartis spinoff Sandoz Inc. to set aside a $1 billion litigation placeholder in a generic drug pricing lawsuit without hearing whether the state attorney general can enforce possible orders in other states where the pharmaceutical company keeps assets.
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December 03, 2024
Vidal Aimed To Put USPTO Rulemaking In The Spotlight
Kathi Vidal's tenure as director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has been marked by dedication to making the agency's decisions and processes more transparent, attorneys said ahead of her mid-December departure.
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December 03, 2024
PE-Backed Anesthesia Giant Can't Duck Antitrust Claims
A New York federal judge refused to nix a Syracuse hospital's antitrust damages claims against North America's largest anesthesia provider, finding the alleged multimillion-dollar costs incurred from understaffing and overpayment can be traced to noncompete agreements locking in anesthesiologists and nurse anesthetists.
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December 02, 2024
Investor Alleges Medical Device Co. Misled On FDA Clearance
The executives and directors of dialysis equipment company Outset Medical Inc. have been hit with a shareholder derivative suit in California federal court alleging they allowed the company to market its product without proper clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
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December 02, 2024
Heritage's $10M Generic Drugs Deal With AGs Gets 1st OK
A Connecticut federal judge gave his initial approval on Monday to Heritage Pharmaceuticals Inc.'s $10 million settlement agreement with state attorneys general to resolve allegations it took part in an anticompetitive, price-fixing scheme focused on generic drugs.
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November 27, 2024
Yale Health Group Can Bolster Bid To Dodge $435M Sale Deal
Yale New Haven Health Services Corp. can add allegations to its complaint against Prospect Medical Holdings Inc. seeking to dodge a $435 million contract to buy a string of Connecticut hospitals and cite more examples of the seller's alleged breach of the deal, including $16 million in pension liens and ongoing regulatory investigations.
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November 26, 2024
CMS Cancels Call Center Solicitation With Disputed Labor Clause
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services called off its unusual resolicitation of a still-active $6.6 billion contract for contact center services on Tuesday, following litigation from contractor Maximus over a contentious labor harmony agreement in the solicitation.
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November 26, 2024
HCA Hospital Sale On Hold Amid Antitrust Concerns
An Indiana healthcare system has withdrawn its application with the state health department for a planned purchase of a hospital from HCA Healthcare following concerns from the Federal Trade Commission, saying it needs more time to rework the application.
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November 26, 2024
Armstrong Teasdale Grows In Big Apple With New IP Partner
Armstrong Teasdale has welcomed an intellectual property partner to its New York office who brings more than 15 years of in-house and private practice experience and a doctorate in molecular biology and genetics.
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November 22, 2024
Barnes & Thornburg Adds Former Associate GC To DC Team
The former associate general counsel for the American Society of Anesthesiologists has moved her practice to Barnes & Thornburg LLP, joining its corporate team in Washington, D.C., as a partner, the firm announced.
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November 22, 2024
Taxation With Representation: Stradley Ronon, Davis Polk
In this week's Taxation With Representation, Amcor PLC buys Berry Global Group Inc., AeroVironment buys BlueHalo, Robinhood Markets Inc. acquires TradePMR, and Comcast Corp. spins off a suite of NBCUniversal cable television networks.
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November 20, 2024
Beasley Allen And J&J Tussle Over Atty Sanctions Bid
Beasley Allen Law Firm accused a Johnson & Johnson talc unit of using "deposition notices as weapons" in its quest to sanction a firm lawyer, while the company said the firm "refused to meaningfully subject itself or its members to any discovery" in its bankruptcy case.
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November 20, 2024
Healthcare-Focused PE Firm Clinches $2.3B Buyout Fund
Healthcare-dedicated private equity shop Frazier Healthcare Partners on Wednesday announced that it closed its oversubscribed 11th buyout fund after receiving $2.3 billion of investor commitments.
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November 19, 2024
Yoga Teacher Gets 7½ Years For Defrauding Mentally Ill Doctor
A yoga instructor who helped defraud $2.7 million from a mentally ill doctor by moving into his Malibu home and feeding him psychedelic drugs was sentenced to 90 months in prison by a California federal judge Tuesday, more than twice the time recommended by prosecutors.
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November 19, 2024
Calif. Biotech Firm Vera Taps Veteran Chief Legal Officer
Biotechnology firm Vera Therapeutics is welcoming a new chief legal officer in advance of an anticipated biologics submission to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for a treatment targeting an autoimmune kidney disease.
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November 19, 2024
J&J Wants Beasley Allen Atty Sanctioned For Depo No-Show
Johnson & Johnson's talc unit called on a Texas bankruptcy court to sanction a Beasley Allen Law Firm attorney for "unilaterally" deciding not to attend a scheduled deposition in the company's bankruptcy case.
Healthcare Deals This Week: Roche, CHS And More
This week in healthcare saw several high-profile deals focused on cancer treatments, including Roche's blockbuster deal with cell therapy developer Poseida Therapeutics and a $135 million series B round from oncology company Adcendo.
Takeaways From This Week's Healthcare Earnings
A host of major healthcare companies released financial results this past week, with investor calls touching on topics ranging from legal battles with the federal government over Medicare Advantage plans to concerns about cuts to obesity drug sales.
Takeaways From This Week's Healthcare Earnings
This past week saw names like Pfizer, Novartis and Tenet post their financial results as we enter the thick of the earnings season for the third quarter of 2024.
Expert Analysis
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Inside The Appeals Board's 2024 Report To Congress
An in-depth examination of the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals’ annual report reveals a continuing decline in new cases, motions and hearings, a trend that may correspond with the increased use of alternative dispute resolution, and expedited or accelerated proceedings, say attorneys at Miller & Chevalier.
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Expect More State Scrutiny Of PE In Healthcare M&A
While a California bill that called for increased antitrust scrutiny of many healthcare private equity transactions was recently vetoed by the governor, state legislatures are likely to continue introducing similar laws, particularly if the Trump administration eases federal enforcement, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.
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Cos. Should Inventory Issues To Prep For New Congress
As the legislative and oversight agendas of the 119th Congress come into sharper focus, corporate counsel should assess and plan for areas of potential oversight risk — from tax policy changes to supply chain integrity — even as much uncertainty remains, say attorneys at WilmerHale.
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Next Steps In The $2.8B Blue Cross Payout To Providers
Healthcare providers deciding whether to participate in Blue Cross Blue Shield network's recent $2.8 billion antitrust class action settlement must weigh key recovery factors, including provider type and litigation cost, say attorneys at Hall Render.
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Fostering Healthcare Industry Success With Joint Ventures
As the healthcare industry continues to evolve, joint ventures remain a key strategy to unite health systems, private equity firms and physician practices in leveraging their collective strengths to foster innovation and improve patient care, say Carole Becker and Travis Jackson at McDermott.
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What To Expect From Calif. Bill Regulating PE In Healthcare
A California bill currently awaiting Gov. Gavin Newsom's approval, intended to increase oversight over private equity and hedge fund investments in healthcare, is emblematic of recent increased scrutiny of investments in the space, and may affect transactions and operations in California in a number of ways, say attorneys at Ropes & Gray.
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SBA Proposal Materially Alters Contractor Recertification
The Small Business Administration's new proposed rule on recertification affects eligibility for set-aside contracts, significantly alters the landscape for mergers and acquisitions in the government contracts industry, and could have other unintended downstream consequences, says Sam Finnerty at PilieroMazza.
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Firms Must Offer A Trifecta Of Services In Post-Chevron World
After the U.S. Supreme Court’s Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo decision overturning Chevron deference, law firms will need to integrate litigation, lobbying and communications functions to keep up with the ramifications of the ruling and provide adequate counsel quickly, says Neil Hare at Dentons.
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Del. Dispatch: Director Caremark Claims Need Extreme Facts
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.
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PE Firms Should Prepare For Increased False Claims Scrutiny
The impact private equity firms may have over medical decisions and care is increasingly attracting potential liability under the False Claims Act and attention from states and the federal government, so investors should follow best practices including conducting due diligence both before and after acquisitions, say attorneys at K&L Gates.
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Unpacking HHS' Opinion On Cell Therapy Refund Programs
A recent advisory opinion from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, determining that a biopharma company's refund program for its cell therapy will not be penalized, indicates an encouraging willingness to engage, but the regulator's assumptions about the program's limited term warrant a closer look, says Mary Kohler at Kohler Health.
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How 5 States' Deal Notification Laws Are Guiding Healthcare
Healthcare transaction notification laws at various stages of implementation in California, Illinois, Indiana, Oregon and Washington are shaping sector mergers and acquisitions, with significant transparency, continuity of care and compliance implications as providers tackle complex regulatory requirements, says Melesa Freerks at DLA Piper.
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The Good, The Bad And The Ugly Of Healthcare's PE Boom
While an influx of capital may provide access to new resources and innovative technologies, the private equity model's method of funding may be fundamentally at odds with patient-first healthcare, and in recent years that inherent tension has gotten ugly, say Eva Gunasekera and Jaclyn Tayabji at Tycko & Zavareei.