Tune into this episode of Covington’s Life Sciences Audiocast, where Winsome Cheung, Lauren Pignataro Rakitin and Sibel Yilmaz discuss cell and gene therapy collaboration and licensing deals. The speakers discuss the commercial, IP and antitrust issues commonly faced by pharma and biotech companies as they seek to partner in this evolving landscape, and potential ways to address these challenges when structuring and negotiating these transactions.

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Photo of Winsome Cheung Winsome Cheung

Winsome Cheung assists life sciences and technology companies to develop and commercialise their intellectual property assets. She advises on their strategic licensing and partnering transactions, and intellectual property and commercial matters throughout the entire product lifecycle.

Winsome Cheung is a partner in Covington’s…

Winsome Cheung assists life sciences and technology companies to develop and commercialise their intellectual property assets. She advises on their strategic licensing and partnering transactions, and intellectual property and commercial matters throughout the entire product lifecycle.

Winsome Cheung is a partner in Covington’s life science transactions team.

She advises a broad range of clients in the life sciences and technology industries, from start-ups, venture capital investors to global pharmaceutical companies. As a former scientist, she combines her scientific understanding with her legal and commercial knowledge to help companies build value and monetise their intellectual property assets.

Winsome regularly advises on:

  • Complex partnering arrangements, including licensing, collaboration, co-development, co-promotion and other strategic arrangements.
  • Commercial agreements throughout the entire lifecycle of life sciences and technology assets, including CRO, clinical trial, manufacturing and distribution agreements.
  • Intellectual property and commercial matters in relation to corporate transactions and venture investments, including:
    • IP and commercial diligence;
    • Ancillary/transitional agreements; and
    • IP warranties, contingent consideration provisions of share purchase/asset purchase agreements.

Prior to her legal career, Winsome completed an undergraduate degree in Biochemistry and a PhD in Medicine. During her doctoral research, she discovered a novel virus-host cell interaction which led to major scientific publications, and explored commercialisation of this research.

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Photo of Lauren Pignataro Rakitin Lauren Pignataro Rakitin

Lauren Pignataro Rakitin specializes in transactional matters in the life sciences industry, with a particular focus on complex strategic collaborations and licensing arrangements. Lauren advises a broad range of clients, from start-up and biotech companies to global pharmaceutical companies. By focusing exclusively in…

Lauren Pignataro Rakitin specializes in transactional matters in the life sciences industry, with a particular focus on complex strategic collaborations and licensing arrangements. Lauren advises a broad range of clients, from start-up and biotech companies to global pharmaceutical companies. By focusing exclusively in the life sciences industry, Lauren has established a deep understanding of the complex needs of pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies as they navigate the life cycle of their products, from discovery and development to commercialization and generic/biosimilar entry.

Lauren routinely advises on:

  • strategic licensing and collaboration agreements for the discovery, development and/or commercialization of life sciences products;
  • in-licensing of foundational IP and out-licensing of IP that is no longer core to the portfolio to unlock further value; and
  • commercial agreements, including CRO, clinical trial, manufacturing, co-promotion and distribution agreements.
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Photo of Sibel Yilmaz Sibel Yilmaz

Sibel Yilmaz advises on all aspects of competition law, foreign investment and foreign subsidies screening, with a focus on the life sciences, technology and private equity sectors.

Sibel has particular expertise in the life sciences sector and has been involved in some of…

Sibel Yilmaz advises on all aspects of competition law, foreign investment and foreign subsidies screening, with a focus on the life sciences, technology and private equity sectors.

Sibel has particular expertise in the life sciences sector and has been involved in some of the industry’s most high profile matters in recent years, including representing Novartis on its $30 billion acquisition of GSK’s oncology business, advising Takeda on its sale of certain respiratory products to AstraZeneca and representing clients in several investigations relating to alleged excessive prices and other non-competitive practices in the life science sector.

Sibel is ranked among the world’s top antitrust practitioners by Global Competition Review, who included her in their most recent 40 Under 40 survey, as well as Chambers Global. She is described as “a brilliant and promising lawyer, who is highly recommended for complex merger work” and “an exceptional talent”, “absolutely a tip for the top.”

Sibel received her LL.M. in Law and Economics from the University of Rotterdam and Master of Law from Stockholm University and is admitted to practice in Belgium and Sweden.

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