Life Sciences & Healthcare
In a dynamic environment where changing regulatory requirements, long product cycles, complex intellectual property rights and cost pressure on healthcare pose constant challenges for our clients, we offer you access to our extensive team of savvy experts. Not only are they legally qualified; they also have a deep understanding of the relevant technical and business-related issues in the life sciences and healthcare sectors.
Life Sciences is a key consulting area for our firm, where we have special expertise and proven track record, providing you with comprehensive support with pharmaceuticals, biotech, healthcare, medtech and digital health.
Areas of Expertise
Our specialists can advise you in the following areas in particular:
- Developing intellectual property strategies, patent management and exploitation of intellectual property rights, supplementary protection certificates and extensions of paediatric rights; freedom-to-operate investigations;
- National and cross-border M&A and private equity transactions and financing for pharmaceutical, biotech, healthcare and medtech companies as well as structuring and implementing joint ventures and other cooperation agreements;
- Hospital financing and cooperations;
- Distribution and supply agreements, cooperation agreements, license agreements, manufacturing agreements, research and development agreements, employee invention agreements;
- Patent litigation (infringement proceedings, invalidity proceedings, assignment and ownership disputes, licensing disputes);
- Other commercial arbitration and litigation in the field of life sciences and health care;
- Regulatory advice and compliance regarding the Therapeutic Products Act (regulatory data protection, advice on pharmaceutical products, cooperations with HCPs and HCOs etc.);
- Advertising law regarding therapeutic products, trademark law and other labelling issues regarding pharmaceuticals, biotech and medtech;
- Pricing of therapeutic products and representation before the Federal Office of Public Health
- Competition law advice (price differentiation, distribution channel planning etc.);
- E-health, data management, data protection strategies, advice in connection with digital business ideas and online platforms;
- Outsourcing projects;
- Product recall procedures
Team
- Renato Bucher
- Lukas Bühlmann
- Ulrike Ciesla
- Frédéric Cottier
- Markus Frank Huber
- L. Mattias Johnson
- Ronald Kogens
- Mark Montanari
- Michael Reinle
- Michael Ritscher
- Daniel Schoch
- Kilian Schärli
- Andrea Sieber
- Mona Stephenson
- Julie Wynne
- Nadine von Büren-Maier
- Louisa Galbraith
- Daniel Haymann
- Noemi Bünter
- Daniel Donauer
MLL has “wide knowledge of the […] pharmaceutical business and a highly diligent approach”
Publications
Pharmaceutical Test Data Exclusivity: Switzerland
Pharmaceutical Test Data Exclusivity: A Multi-Jurisdictional Survey, AIPPI Law Series, Volume 7, 2022 Kluwer Law International BV, The Netherlands, p. 97-103, August 2022- EN
Die Zulässigkeit von Cannabis in kosmetischen Mitteln
Jusletter, 27. Juni 2022- DE
Medical Cannabis & Cannabinoid Regulation 2022 Switzerland – Law & Practice and Trends & Developments
Chambers and Partners, Global Practice Guides, Medical Cannabis & Cannabinoid Regulation, 20 June 2022- EN
Handel mit medizinischem Cannabis: Die Schweiz öffnet sich
krautinvest.de, Interview by Moritz Förster, 29. Mai 2022- DE
Firm News
DentaCore expands abroad: MLL Legal advises on the acquisition of Dentaltechnik AG (FL)
MLL Legal ranked in Leaders League Switzerland 2022: Data Protection, Life Sciences: Regulatory, IT & Outsourcing, Sports Law, Patent Litigation, Trademark Litigation
IP Stars ranks MLL Legal as a Top Tier Firm for Patents and Trade Marks in 2022 listings
IAM Patent 1000 2022: Gold rated MLL Legal is “a powerhouse within life sciences litigation”
MLL Legal successfully represented Bayer HealthCare LLC in summary proceedings before the Federal Patent Court
News Portal
Revision: Cannabis Regulation – New Authorization Mechanism for Dealing With Medical Cannabis
On 1 August 2022, not only the annual national holiday could be celebrated extensively in Switzerland. Particularly noteworthy is also the entry into force of the new requirements for the regulation of medical cannabis.
Cannabis was qualified as a prohibited narcotic in Switzerland until the end of summer 2022 – without further specification in relation to a medical application. Accordingly, the cultivation, importation, production, and marketing of cannabis required an exemption permit from the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH).
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Legal Framework for the Use of Psychedelics in Switzerland
Just in time for summer, the miniseries «How to Change Your Mind» will be launched in July on the Netflix streaming platform. In this documentary series, author Michael Pollan and Co. analyse the history and applications of psychedelic substances such as LSD, psilocybin, MDMA and mescaline. According to experts, research with psychedelics (also known as hallucinogens) or related substances will increase worldwide in the coming years. The market launch of drugs containing MDMA for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or psilocybin for the treatment of depression is expected in the next five to ten years[1]. The legal framework regarding the use of psychedelics in patients is very pragmatic in Switzerland and unique internationally. Switzerland is a leader in the research and use of psychedelics in psychiatry and is considered an innovation driver in this field. Nevertheless, the regulatory hurdles for researchers and patients are still extremely high. In this article we elaborate on the requirements under which psychedelics may be used in Switzerland today.
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Little-Known Pitfall in Application for Paediatric Extensions or Paediatric SPCs
When filing applications for paediatric extensions and paediatric SPCs in Switzerland, it must be kept in mind that Switzerland is not a member state of the European Union and thus has a separate and independent system when it comes to the approval of medicinal products. Paediatric extensions and paediatric SPCs are only granted in Switzerland based on respective Swiss marketing authorizations issued by the competent authority Swissmedic. The relevant provisions in the Swiss Patent Act provide for some very particular conditions that the respective marketing authorizations must meet in order to serve as a basis for the grant of a paediatric extension or paediatric SPC. Those conditions are unique to Switzerland and therefore little-known abroad.
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LexCast: Happy New Year From the MLL NexGen Incubator – Find Out What 2022 Has in Store for You!
As 2021 draws to an end MLL looks forward to 2022 and wonders what it holds. Listen to our specialists from across our offices talking about what legal trends they see coming in the year ahead.
MoreLexCast: Happy New Year From the Froriep Nexgen Incubator – Find Out What the Coming Year Has in Store for You!
As 2020 comes to an end FRORIEP looks forward to 2021 and wonders what it holds. Listen to our specialists from across our offices in London, Zurich, Madrid, Geneva and Zug talking about what they see on FRORIEP’s horizon, what they look forward to and what legal questions they hope will be clarified in the coming year.
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