Healthcare and Life Sciences

About

In today’s competitive market, pharmaceutical, medical device and biotech companies are seeking to do things in a more avant-garde way to be successful. Acquisitions, alliances and licensing are supplementing, and in some cases replacing, in-house discovery and development. Outsourcing, from product manufacturing to the conduct of clinical trials, is helping to improve performance, accelerate time to market and control costs.

Ultimately, the key is getting these and other innovative approaches right while still managing the basic business. A company has to be diligent about transactions, careful about commercial agreements and thorough in its R&D. It has to be constantly alert and informed in relation to changing liabilities, regulations and trade laws. The company must also be vigorous about protecting intellectual property and strategic in its tax planning.

The Tokyo office established the Healthcare and Life Sciences Industry Focus Group to enhance the firm’s capabilities and provide more accurate advice in the healthcare sector. Historically, our office was fortunate to have provided a range of legal services to a significant number of international clients in this industry. Our experiences in representing these clients made the formation of a new industry group of partners and associates with extensive knowledge in the healthcare field organic. The group is adept in giving advice and sharing precedents pertaining to the industry from our various practice groups, which include Antitrust, Corporate/M&A, Dispute Resolution, Intellectual Property and Tax. Our team consists of a panel of experts with a vast, in-depth understanding of the healthcare industry in the legal practice areas described on the following pages. Furthermore, we have more than 300 lawyers globally in our pharmaceutical and healthcare practices, concentrating their energies on the issues and opportunities found in this dynamic and challenging market.