Rising Stars

Firms To Watch: Healthcare and life sciences

Specialist boutique IPrime specialises in IP and dispute resolution matters from pharmaceutical, med- and biotech clients.
Sigma Legal has a keen eye for technology and innovation law, which it brings to the life sciences and healthcare sectors. Clients include corporations, start-ups, non-profits, and organisations such as the WHO.

Firms in the Spotlight Healthcare and life sciences

VISCHER

VISCHER logo

VISCHER is a leading Swiss law firm with over 120 fee earners. The firm provides solution-oriented support in all aspects of commercial, tax, and regulatory law. Their experts are organized in more than 20 practice teams, each led by experienced partners.

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Healthcare and life sciences in Switzerland

Bär & Karrer Ltd.

As ‘one of the top law firms in Switzerland’, Bär & Karrer Ltd. has an excellent reputation in advising clients regarding regulatory matters and representing them before the competent governmental agencies such as Swissmedic or courts. The firm’s transactional work includes high-profile M&A and capital markets transactions, including cross-border mergers, and high value sales. The group is also involved in pro bono work for organisations such as the Human Rights Watch. Markus Schott  and Markus Wang co-lead the team which is also home to Raphael Wyss, Philippe Seiler and Jannick Koller. In April 2023, Claudia Götz Staehelin and Oliver Brupbacher joined from Kellerhals Carrard.


Practice head(s):

Markus Schott; Markus Wang


Other key lawyers:

Philippe Seiler; Jannick Koller; Raphael Wyss


Testimonials

‘Bär & Karrer is a top Swiss law firm with extensive legal expertise in the healthcare sector. They always provide pragmatic and business oriented legal advice. Bär & Karrer lawyers are very responsive and they really have a sense of urgency. It is on of the top law firms in Switzerland and highly recommended.’

‘Markus Schott is really provides high quality legal advice and he has a deep knowledge not only of the legal issues related to the pharmaceutical industry but also a very good understanding of the business aspects of the pharmaceutical business in Switzerland. Schott is available to support whenever needed, even at short notice. He is a highly qualified lawyer and highly recommended.’

‘Very agile and always ready and willing to support. Business oriented and great insight in Swiss market. Good connection to authorities.’

‘They are also prepared to take an approach that involves and accepts certain risks. They do not limit themselves to proposing an approach that minimises the most risks, but understand that business decisions sometimes have to take advantage of certain tolerances.’

‘During our experience with this firm, we have always appreciated: the availability of our contacts, the quality of understanding of the subjects we submit, the response time, the quality of the consultations rendered and in particular the clear position taken on the questions submitted.’

Key clients

AC Immune SA


Revival Healthcare Capital


Perfect Holding SA


Brust-Zentrum Zurich


Firmenich


Sandoz


Novartis AG


OneDoc


Humabs BioMed SA


Vifor


AC Immune SA


AbbVie


Tertianum


GSK (GlaxoSmithKline)


Glenmark Pharmaceuticals


Onkozentrum


Home Instead


Artemis


Work highlights


  • Advised Firmenich on a cross-border merger-of-equals with DSM, which unites two iconic companies into a leading creation and innovation partner in nutrition, beauty and well-being.
  • Represents AbbVie in appeal proceedings concerning pricing of Humira, the most important medicinal product for treating various debilitating diseases in front of the Federal Administrative Court.
  • Regularly advises Humabs BioMed SA in various corporate as well as regulatory matters, such as compliance with Swiss and EU data protection law.

Homburger

Homburger’s particular strength and experience lies in patent-related litigious matters and transactions. The firm is routinely involved in high profile matters, such as the advising of CSL on its $11.7 bn public takeover of Vifor Pharma. Andri Hess (patents and patent litigation), Dieter Gericke (corporate and transactions) and Richard Stäuber (regulatory and competition) lead teams that ‘can be relied upon to provide excellent legal advice and support every time’.

Other key lawyers:

Gregor Bühler


Testimonials

‘I enjoy working with Homburger. No inquiry is too small or too large for them to handle as we expand our business in Europe.’

‘I have only worked with Gregor Buhler from the firm but can say he has been a great resource for our company to use when legal advice is needed. His responses are grounded in solid legal research for which we can feel comfortable relying on (and provided in a timely manner).’

‘Excellent subject matter expertise is a given with this team. In addition, they bring sound judgment and good business sense to the advice they provide.’

‘This team can be relied upon to provide excellent legal advice and support every time.’

‘Andri Hess is a clever, urbane lawyer whose advice can always be relied upon. He has some smart candidates within his team to takeover as stars of the Swiss patent law world in future.’

Key clients

Roche


Novartis


Sandoz


Syngenta


Eli Lilly


Nestlé


CSL


Illumina


Molecular Partners


Santhera Pharmaceuticals Holding


PPF Group


Vifor Pharma


ADC Therapeutics


Bristol Myers-Squibb


Edwards Lifesciences


VectivBio


SOPHiA GENETICS


ArchiMed


Therachon


Zur Rose Group


Spectris


CDR-Life


Atara Biotherapeutics


Apellis


Straumann


Sonova


Siegfried


Biognosys


Covis Pharma


IMA Medtech


BIOBank


Addex Therapeutics


Strides Pharma Science


Sanofi Aventis


Octapharma


Horizon Therapeutics plc


Work highlights


  • Advised CSL, a global biotechnology company based in Australia, on its $11.7 bn public takeover of Vifor Pharma.
  • Advised Roche on $20.7 bn repurchase of Novartis’ stake in Roche.
  • Advising University Hospital Zurich on broad range of regulatory matters as a member of the Hospital Advisory Board.

Kellerhals Carrard

Kellerhals Carrard’s is a leading law firm for startups, fielding attorneys which have previously held positions in pharma and healthcare companies, government agencies and healthcare institutions. The firm has created the first Sustainability & ESG (environmental, social and governance) desk in Switzerland, leading to an interdisciplinary approach and collaboration of specialists from various fields. Thomas Eichenberger heads the life sciences team which is said to have a ‘very thorough and long-lasting understanding of the Swiss healthcare law’. Claudia Götz Staehelin and Oliver M. Brupbacher left to Bär & Karrer Ltd. in April 2023.

Practice head(s):

Thomas Eichenberger


Testimonials

‘The team has a very thorough and long lasting understanding of the Swiss healthcare law and provide great support around e.g. regulatory, reimbursement or product liability questions. They have a great understanding of the Swiss healthcare market and provide their support in an expeditious manner.’

‘Thomas Eichenberger has a deep understanding of the Swiss healthcare field, knows the relevant stakeholders and provides thorough legal support in a expeditious and excellent manner. He also understands the needs of his clients and the mechanism of the market very well.’

‘Strong knowledge and understanding of the life sciences sector.’

‘Excellent knowledge of Swiss and EU commercial and contract law, and deep experience with the pharmaceuticals sector.’

‘Kellerhals Carrard is very professional, hands-on and efficient. They provide answers in time and are not as risk averse as other law firms. They work in very diverse teams.’

‘Strong knowledge and understanding of the life sciences sector.’

Key clients

Actelion Pharmaceuticals a Janssen Pharmaceutical Company of Johnson & Johnson


Eli Lilly (Suisse) S.A.


Gebro Pharma AG


Gilead Sciences Switzerland Sàrl


Interpharma


Moderna Inc./Moderna Switzerland GmbH


MoonLake Immunotherapeutics AG


Swiss Medtech


University Children’s Hospital Basel (UKBB)


Vifor Pharma AG


Ypsomed Holding AG


Work highlights


  • Advises Moderna on numerous legal matters in connection with its business in Switzerland and ex-US, including legal and regulatory advice related to the establishment of its supply chain for its COVID-19 Vaccine.
  • Advises Gilead with respect to the reimbursement of CAR T cell therapies as well as confidential pricing matter.
  • Acted as Swiss legal advisor to MoonLake Immunotherapeutics AG, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company elevating care with innovative immunology therapeutics, whose shares are listed on Nasdaq as of April 2022.

VISCHER

Creative and efficient’, VISCHER provides expertise on a number of aspects of life sciences, including regulatory matters and patent cases in the biotech and pharmaceutical sector. Its diverse range of clients include pharmaceutical and medtech companies, start-ups, digital health companies and hospitals. The firm has built a leading reputation for deal terms, such as specific structures which allow biotech companies to continue in startup mode after being sold to big pharma. IP specialist, Stefan Kohler , and transaction expert, Matthias Staehelin , lead the team. Christian Wyss , Damien Conus and Michael Waldner strengthen the expertise of the group.

Practice head(s):

Stefan Kohler; Matthias Staehelin


Other key lawyers:

Christian Wyss; Damien Conus; Michael Waldner


Testimonials

‘The team is extremely knowledgeable regarding all business aspects of an early stage, venture backed biotech company.’

‘Christian Wyss is excellent. Highly responsive, thoughtful, creative and efficient.’

Key clients

GlycoEra AG


Bachem Holding AG


CombiGene AB


Anjarium Biosciences AG


Novaremed


Polyphor AG


Combioxin SA


evitria Group


ImmunOs Therapeutics AG


Anaveon AG


Cimeio Therapeutics


deepCDR Biologics


Inositec AG


MiniNaviDent AG


T3 Pharmaceuticals


ClearView Healthcare Partners


RELIEF THERAPEUTICS HOLDING SA


Sonnet BioTherapeutics, Inc.


Work highlights


  • Advised Bachem Holding AG (SIX:BANB), a company specializing in the development and manufacture of peptides and oligonucleotides, in raising CHF 583.5m through an accelerated bookbuilding process.
  • Advised CombiGene in a collaboration and licensing agreement with Spark Therapeutics, a member of the Roche Group, for CombiGene’s CG01 gene therapy to treat drug resistant focal epilepsy.
  • Advised immuno-oncology company Anaveon AG in oversubscribed CHF110m Series B financing.

Bratschi Ltd

Bratschi Ltd, a firm with a ‘high level of efficiency’, provides a full service, though is especially reputed for its regulatory expertise, particularly in regard to therapeutic products, laboratory services and medical service providers. Its expertise also encompasses court proceedings, financial benefits, advertising, data protection, commercial agreements and compliance. Recently, the team has been involved in consulting activities regarding a new Swiss in-vitro-diagnostics and data protection regulations. Co-leads Felix Kesselring and Marco Rizzi add considerable experience to the team. Ursula Eggenberger Stöckli has now left the firm.

Practice head(s):

Felix Kesselring


Other key lawyers:

Marco Rizzi


Testimonials

‘Most of the time remote / digital collaboration (meeting, mail) with high level of efficiency and accountability.’

‘Good knowledge of the industry sector and the legislation.’

‘Dr. Kesselring is the first choice for me and my clients in the health care sector. Dr. Kesselring is very knowledgable and excellent in his practice whilst staying grounded. Dr. Kesselring is one of the leading practitioners though highly modest.’

‘Felix Kesselring: fast reaction, personal service, realistic forecast,’

Key clients

Otto Group


Neuraxpharm Switzerland Ltd.


Post CH Ltd.


Dr. Clark Zentrum Ltd.


Gilead Sciences Switzerland LLC


Smith & Nephew Orthopaedics Ltd.


Sigma Aldrich Production GmbH, a subsidiary of Merck KGaA


CSL Behring Ltd.


Synaffix BV


IGEN Biolab Group Ltd.


Kantonsspital St. Gallen


Spitalregion Fürstenland-Toggenburg


Oertli-Instrumente AG


Industrie Biomediche Insubri SA


Work highlights


  • Advised Otto Group on the acquisition of the Medgate, a leading provider of digital health services, and Better Doc, provider of services in the field of medical quality data analysis.
  • Advised and represented Neuraxpharm Switzerland Ltd. before the Federal Supreme Court against price reductions for one of its medicinal products.
  • Advised CSL Behring Ltd. on the implementation of a production plant for immunoglobulins in Switzerland.

CMS von Erlach Partners Ltd.

CMS von Erlach Partners Ltd. has a range of expertise, including research and development (particularly in clinical trials), patent enforcement, advertising and distribution issues and data protection, cooperating with over 480 healthcare lawyers across the globe. The firm has played an advisory role in the Swiss administrative proceedings regarding price recommendations for over-the-counter medication against erectile dysfunction, and provides pro bono support and legal education to charities such as Habitat for Humanity. Key lawyers include practice head Christoph Willi and Alain Raemy, who specialises in international and domestic M&A transactions, corporate restructurings, and relocations.

Practice head(s):

Christoph Willi


Other key lawyers:

Alain Raemy; Simone Brauchbar Birkhäuser


Key clients

Bayer (Switzerland) AG


synlab Suisse SA (and its subsidiaries)


Kieser Training AG


Mobile Health AG


Vista Klinik AG


Work highlights


  • Representing Bayer (Switzerland), the Swiss branch of the leading Germany-based global pharmaceuticals manufacturer, in the highly-contested Swiss administrative proceedings regarding price recommendations for medication against erectile dysfunction traded over-the-counter.
  • Advising synlab, one of the leading medical analytical laboratory groups in Europe, over the last couple of years on numerous matters in the sector of life sciences and healthcare.
  • Advises mobile Health AG in connection with Consilium Care™, an electronic Patient Reported Outcomes (ePRO) SaaS system which includes the CE-marked MDD Class I medical device, Pro Care.

Lenz & Staehelin

Lenz & Staehelin’s practice and experience covers a full spectrum of legal support, ranging from complex patent litigations, with a particular emphasis on pharmaceutical patent litigation, through to projects and M&A. Notable names include Xavier Favre-Bulle , Andreas Rötheli, Guy Vermeil , Thierry Calame , Harold Frey and Stephan Erni .

Practice head(s):

Thierry Calame; Stephan Erni; Harold Frey; Xavier Favre-Bulle; Andreas Rötheli; Guy Vermeil


Testimonials

‘Very effective team work – required expertise in-house; restrict team size (and hence billed hours) to essential individuals required; remarkable information flow across team members, who are always briefed & up to speed.’

‘Extraordinarily committed; very fast turnaround times; very capable to think out of the box and propose customised solutions; competent, concise & precise counselling – can tell you right away, when others have to explore first.’

‘Effective & creative negotiation with difficult counter-parties’

‘Can-do attitude.’

‘In a fast-changing environment, the team focused on the key aspects and worked on solutions rather than pointing out issues. Additionally, the team listen closely to the needs of the client and focuses on key aspects, without losing the side of potential issues. All in all, I felt very comfortable having them as my partner and never the feeling came up that they just collect billable hours.’

Key clients

Abbott Laboratories


Alcon Inc.


Alpha Health Group


Altitude Management


Bain Capital Private Equity


Cinven


Chord Therapeutics


dacadoo


Keri Medical


Lonza


Manufacture Modules Technologies


Mark Bischof and Rabah Nedir (owners of the Ardentis group)


Mepha/Teva


Merck & Co., Inc.


Morgan Stanley


MGI Tech


NovImmune SA


Obseva SA


Pfizer


Revance Therapeutics, Inc.


Surveyor Capital


swiss smile Schweiz AG


The Carlyle Group


Wyss Center


Work highlights


  • Successfully represented Abbott before the Federal Supreme Court, resulting in a landmark decision on standing to sue in trademark invalidity proceedings under the Madrid System of trademarks. The decision was widely publicized and published in English in IIC.
  • Successfully represented Acino Pharma in complex patent nullity proceedings against Euroceltique S.A. before the Federal Patent Court involving multiple patents in relation to pain relief.
  • Advised a group of investors led by SME Equity Partners and Co-Investor Partners on acquisition of Promedical AG, one of the leading Swiss suppliers of medical consumables and surgery kits.

MLL Legal

A ‘go-to firm’, MLL Legal has expertise in all legal aspects, including both commercial and litigation issues. The firm provides advice for pharmaceutical companies, particularly at the interface between IP issues and regulatory points, in addition to reimbursement and pricing. The firm assists major pharmaceutical companies, such as AstraZeneca, alongside start-ups and spin-off companies. Recently, the team has been involved in new developments in distributed ledger technologies. Nicola Benz is key for handling transactions, while Simon Holzer focuses on IP litigation.

Practice head(s):

Nicola Benz; Simon Holzer


Testimonials

‘The team is highly experienced in life sciences patent litigation and has a deep bench.’

‘Simon Holzer is a calm and able presence. He is ably supported by Ulrike Cielsa, who is incredibly sharp and quickly sees the strengths and weaknesses of an argument.’

‘MLL Legal has outstanding expertise in Swiss regulatory law and, in my view, is the go-to-firm whenever you have a question in this field. You will receive a well-founded opinion/recommendation on specific questions/for a certain case within a very short time that is supported by case law and related publications and that provides a valuable basis for decisions your client has to made.’

‘Impressed by Simon Holzer’s knowledge in the field of Swiss regulatory law as well as regulatory law in general. He was extremely responsive and diligent in his work and very nice to communicate with. Whenever I will have a question related to Swiss regulatory law, I will first reach out to him.’

‘When litigating patents in Switzerland, only a handful of top drawer names come to mind, and MLL stands out. A fabulous team of partners and associates, all punching above their weights and delivering fantastic results for clients.’

‘Simon Holzer – a great strategist and tactician. He communicates effectively and precisely. Unflappable under pressure. Very sound advice taking into account practical implications and commercial imperatives.

‘Louisa Galbraith – a rising star and de facto partner designate. Her output is of a high quality.’

‘Reliability, accountability, professionalism, perfection, knowledgeable in all areas.’

Key clients

Alpex Pharma SA


AstraZeneca AB (Sweden), AstraZeneca (Switzerland) AG


Authena


Axapharm AG


Bayer Pharma AG (Germany), Bayer Intellectual Property AG (Germany), Bayer Consumer Care AG (Switzerland), Bayer (Schweiz AG) (Switzerland)


Baxter Ltd


Becton Dickinson Company


Bioeq AG


Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG


Carestream


Cellprotect Holding AG


cereneo Schweiz AG and cereneo International AG


Eli Lilly (with respect to Frédéric Cottier’s role as members of the Board of Directors)


Eurospine, The Spine Society of Europe


Exact Sciences International Sàrl


Gilead Sciences, Inc.


H. Lundbeck A/S (Denmark); Lundbeck Schweiz AG (Switzerland)


Implantec Schweiz GmbH


Innoplexus


Intuitive Surgical


Kantonsspital St. Gallen (KSSG)


Lipomed AG


Lusaria AG


MaKe WeBo AB


Modum


Mundipharma Medical Company, Mundipharma AG and other companies of the Mundipharma group of companies


Neosim


Psychiatrische Dienste Aargau AG


RDP Pharma AG


Scoutbee


Shockwave Medical


Spital Männedorf AG (with respect to Daniel Schoch’s role as member of the Board of Director)


Swiss Cosmetic Association (SKW)


Swiss Medtech (Swiss Medical Technology Association)


Swiss Rockets


Takeda


ViiV Healthcare


Visiomed Laboratories


Work highlights


  • Represented Bayer in Swiss patent PI proceedings against the Swiss Zentiva affiliate Helvepharm concerning Bayer’s cancer drug Nexavar. MLL Legal’s patent litigation team led by Simon Holzer obtained a preliminary injunction for Bayer against Zentiva’s Swiss subsidiary Helvepharm.
  • Rendered a highly important expert opinion for the Swiss medical technology association SWISS MEDTECH on incentive taxes on VOCs in disinfectants. This expert opinion goes to the Swiss Federal Council to be considered when deciding on the future law.
  • Represented Becton Dickinson, a leading manufacturer of auto-injection pens, in patent litigation proceedings against the Swiss manufacturer Ypsomed. This case led to successful customs seizures and a new leading case concerning the legal nature and requirements for the assistance of Swiss customs in pharmaceutical cases.

Pestalozzi

Pestalozzi, a firm with ‘excellent legal expertise in multiple areas’, is jointly led by Franz Schubiger and Christian Roos. The team often represents leading Swiss and international clients, including manufacturers and distributors of pharmaceutical products and medical devices. The firm has experienced an increase in acquisitions and asset purchases/divestitures. New arrivals Lara Dorigo and Petra Hanselmann have bolstered the offering.

Practice head(s):

Christian Roos; Franz Schubiger


Testimonials

‘I have worked with Pestaozzi for years and I was always impressed by their professionalism.

‘Lara Dorigo grasps facts very quickly, has excellent analytical thinking and has outstanding technical understanding that allows her to work her way into new technical areas at high speed. Lara works very expeditiously, meets promised deadlines and does not lose her cool even in hectic times. Her explanations to clients and colleagues show a high level of professionalism and are of excellent quality.

‘Pestalozzi Law Firm is highly professional with excellent legal expertise in multiple areas important for our MedTech business. I highly appreciate to have one single contact person, who is distributing further my requests to subject-matter experts.’

‘Legal team is fast, efficient and provide pragmatic legal advice.’

‘I am impressed about Sarah Drukarch, who is an excellent legal professional. She works with high legal professional standards and her advice are always pragmatic and tailored fit our business needs. She is customer oriented with excellent communication skills.’

‘Lara Dorigo has an excellent understanding of the commercial priorities of our life sciences / healthcare business and adapts her astute advice accordingly. Lara is approachable and works collaboratively with our patent attorney, pan-EU and global counsel teams. On a recent matter Lara got up to speed quickly, led proactive case management and adapted swiftly to our changing commercial priorities.’

Key clients

Akorn Pharmaceuticals


Astellas Pharma Europe


European Investment Bank (EIB)


GE Healthcare / GE Medical Systems (Switzerland)


Gilead Sciences / Kite Pharma


Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) group of companies, including DePuySynthes division and Janssen Pharmaceutica NV


Johnson & Johnson Innovation – JJDC, Inc.


MGI Tech.


Newron Pharmaceuticals SpA (SIX: NWRN)


Nutriathletic AG


Merck KGaA


University Hospital Zurich (USZ)


Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: ZBH)


Work highlights


  • Advised Helix Acquisition Corp (HLXA), a Nasdaq-listed special purpose acquisition company (SPAC), in connection with the IPO of MoonLake Immunotherapeutics AG.
  • Illumina initiated patent infringement proceedings against MGI Latvia, a subsidiary of MGI Tech, in Switzerland, claiming infringement of two patents related to Illumina’s sequencing technology. The team acted as counsel to MGI Tech Co alongside with co-Counsel Lenz & Staehelin.
  • Advises Zimmer on a broad range of Swiss legal and tax matters relating to its subsidiaries operating in and from Switzerland.

Schellenberg Wittmer Ltd

Schellenberg Wittmer Ltd advises clients on a broad array of contentious and non-contentious matters, and is particularly strong in issues related to IP. Team lead Philipp Groz, who also heads the firm’s IP team, is praised by clients for his ‘wealth of experience’. Lorenza Ferrari Hofer likewise boasts IP expertise, and has significant experience negotiating related agreements, including R&D, transfer and licensing, and distribution agreements. Of counsel, Peter Georg Picht, whose focus is competition and IP law, is also noted.

Practice head(s):

Philipp Groz


Other key lawyers:

Lorenza Ferrari Hofer; Peter Georg Picht; David Mamane; Pascal Hubli


Testimonials

‘The firm is distinguished by its empathetic approach to clients and its calmness and composure and listening to the needs of the client. Philipp Groz is an extremely talented lawyer with a wealth of experience who has repeatedly demonstrated his craft and found solutions that no one else would have noticed.’

‘Very good, specialized lawyers, the team collaborates efficiently together to meet with their clients’ needs in a timely manner; Projects are well managed and prioritized.’

‘The company is outstanding at analysing contracts and identifying risks and best solutions for the counterparty. It is committed to finding the best solutions tailored to the client’s needs.’

‘Philipp Groz has deep know how on the healthcare sector, he is protective of his clients’ interest, he advises in a pragmatic manner and is fully “hands on” for the management of projects; always reachable and available’.

Key clients

Addlife AB


Bayer AG


Zimmer Biomet


AOP Orphan Pharmaceuticals AG


Ascensia Diabetes Care


Cardinal Health


Celgene


CSL Behring AG


HeiQ Materials AG


Johnson & Johnson


Kinarus


LivaNova


Nutra Essential OTC, S.L.


Procter & Gamble


Shire International GmbH


Sonova


Iveric Bio


Santhera Pharmaceuticals


Work highlights


  • Advised Kinarus in all legal aspects of its reverse takeover transaction by Perfect Holding, including in relation to the technology transfer (patents, clinical trial data, regulatory aspects).
  • Representing a medical device company in the Swiss part of global product liability litigation relating to the client’s product that is used in the context of heart surgery and is allegedly responsible for personal injury and death in a number of patients worldwide.
  • Advised Santhera Pharmaceuticals regarding an exclusive license agreement for the Greater China Region with Sperogenix Therapeutics, a China-based company specializing in orphan diseases.

Baker McKenzie Switzerland AG

Baker McKenzie Switzerland AG’s 76 offices ensures a strong global presence, capable of handling cross-border matters. The firm advises a full spectrum of clients: from the pharmaceutical and health-tech to hospitals and food companies. The team has notably collaborated with LegalTech startup programmes, such as LitiGate, an artificial intelligence contract analytics tool, to accelerate the initial review of disclosure in contentious matters. Key lawyers include recent addition, Olha Demianiuk , Matthias Courvoisier and rising talent, Julia Schieber.

Practice head(s):

Olha Demianiuk; Julia Schieber


Other key lawyers:

Matthias Courvoisier; Peter Reinert; Philippe Reich; Serge Pannatier


Key clients

Abbott


Abbvie


Adagene AG No


Allecra Therapeutics AG No


Argenx SE No


Baitella Holding AG No


Basilea Pharmaceutica AG No


Bausch Health Corporation No


Baxalta Inc No


Becton Dickinson


Bruker BioSpin


Cassiopea SpA No


Celgene No


Cell Medica Ltd No


Cosmo Pharmaceutical NV No


Curasept A.D.S. S.r.l. No


CureVac AG No


Galapagos No


HBM Partners Ltd No


Implantica AG


Mapreg SAS Yes


Mérieux Equity Partners


NLS Pharma AG No


Novaliq No


Novartis No


Numab No


OnlineDoctor No


Sanofi Aventis (Suisse) SA No


Similasan No


Sonova AG No


Takeda No


The International Federation of Pharmaceutical


Manufacturers & Associations No


Zur Rose Group


Work highlights


  • Advised Zur Rose Group AG on its accelerated book-building (ABB), which was concluded with the issuance of 650,000 new shares at an offer price of CHF 290 and gross proceeds of CHF 188.5 million.
  • Advised Chord Therapeutics SA and its shareholders on the sale of all the shares in Chord to Merck KGaA.
  • Advised Adagene on a collaboration and exclusive license agreement with Sanofi to generate masked monoclonal and bispecific antibodies for development and commercialization by Sanofi.

BianchiSchwald LLC

BianchiSchwald LLC, a team with ‘in-depth legal and market knowledge’, handles legal matters such as the financing of medical care services, granting of public mandates, acquisitions and public procurement projects. Services such as assisting in the obtaining of operating approvals, representation in price setting and support on data protection are provided. Notable lawyers include Marc Metzger, Thomas Goosens, Hans-Peter Schwald and Stefan Scherrer.

Practice head(s):

Marc Metzger; Thomas Goossens


Other key lawyers:

Hans Peter Schwald; Stefan Scherrer; Andreas Suter


Testimonials

‘The firm’s healthcare and life science practice group is both very experienced and very skilled in their fields of business. They have a strong in-depth legal and market.’

‘Hans-Peter Schwald is a very valuable strategic adviser to us. He is extremely committed and absolutely brilliant strategically and concentrates on what is essential. He is a leading figure in the business lawyers’ industry.’

‘Marc Metzger is as senior figure and an excellent practitioner. He knows everything about, inter alia, health care regulations, health care insurance as well as health care financing contracts (including any related contracts such as, amongst others, tariff agreements, “Leistungsaufträge” and “Spitallisten”).’

‘Marc Metzger is very skilled and an outstanding negotiator. Also, he is extremely responsive and flexible.’

Key clients

VAMED Management und Service Schweiz AG


VAMED Standortentwicklung und Engineering GmbH & CO KG


Rehaklinik Seewis AG


Rehaklinik Dussnang AG


Calypso Biotech SA


Correvio International Sàrl


WS Audiology Switzerland AG


Kreos Capital


Work highlights


  • Acted as legal advisor to Rehaklinik Seewis AG as well as to VAMED Management and Service AG, including the provision of legal advice in respect of all legal aspects.
  • Advising WS Audiology Switzerland AG (former Widex and Sivantos) in the post-merger integration proceedings as well as in the context of all kinds of legal advice.
  • Assisting Kreos Capital and its UK legal counsel (Bird and Bird, London) in relation to the issuance of a convertible loan facility of €4 million to Aleva Neurotherapeutics, a very promising MedTech start-up (active in the field of neurosciences) of the Geneva lake area.

Sidley Austin LLP

Sidley Austin LLP is led by Andreas Balsiger Betts, who possesses an ‘extraordinarily high level of expertise’. The firm offers in-depth knowledge of industry association by-laws in Switzerland. Its broad-ranging work encompasses clinical trials, marketing authorization strategy/procedures and pharmacovigilance, among others.

Practice head(s):

Andreas Balsiger Betts


Other key lawyers:

Eva Von Mühlenen; Olivier Goarnisson; Tatjana Sachse


Testimonials

‘The unique points of interactions are: 1. reliable team approach and collaboration even with difficult questions. 2. the team is always aligned, meaning they are well informed among them and can easily take over in case one of the members may not be available. 3. the team is always up to speed in terms of legislation and support with superior knowledge.’

‘Andreas Balsiger Betts acts like you would expect from an employee and integrates business acumen with legal knowledge. Even when timelines are tough, he is always approachable and does his utmost best to support in time with highest quality standards.’

‘Andreas Balsiger Betts’s advice is always practical oriented and not just theoretical. His friendliness, his team spirit, his legal knowledge combined with the right sense of humour makes it unique and very enjoyable to work with him.’

‘Sidley Austin LLP’s Healthcare and life sciences practice has the most experienced and specialised lawyers in Switzerland in this area. Andreas Balsiger, for example, was head of the legal service of Swissmedic and therefore has an extraordinarily high level of expertise and knows the procedures of the authorities and pharmaceutical companies exceptionally well.

‘Eva von Mühlenen is the first point of contact when it comes to Food, Drug and Medical Device Compliance. She has gained years of experience at Swissmedic and in law firms.’

‘The team is small but very responsive, has short response times and is very willing to perform.’

‘The people have an in-depth knowledge in the field of Medical Devices especially in different sub-areas like Cybersecurity or the European and the Swiss Law.’

‘The team is perfectly coordinated. Possible substitutions are given at any time. The know-how of the whole team is used, so that the result does not depend on individuals, but contains the full competence of the team.’

Work highlights


Walder Wyss Ltd.

Walder Wyss Ltd. provides market access strategy and legal support, including litigious matters and pricing and regulatory work. Its advice encompasses IP, litigation and other corporate matters. ‘Proven specialistAndreas Wildi leads pricing and regulatory work. Other notable lawyers include Michael Isler, Martin Zobl and Philippe Nordmann.

Practice head(s):

Michael Isler


Other key lawyers:

Andreas Wildi; Martin Zobl; Philippe Nordmann


Testimonials

‘Very good in-depth know-how. Feedback in a short time. Consulting at fair price.’

‘Extremely broad spectrum of know-how in legal as well as health policy relevant subject areas. Absolutely proven specialist Dr. Andreas Wildi.’

 

Work highlights


  • Won about a dozen cases mostly related to SL (specialities list), case price decrease challenge against the Federal Office of Public Health and triennial review of drugs inclusion requirement.

Wenger Vieli Ltd

Wenger Vieli Ltd advises clients ranging from start-ups to multinational companies; its work includes advice regarding market access, pricing, marketing authorisations and e-health. The ‘fast, always well-prepared and available’ team is headed by Frank Scherrer, who has considerable experience in advising pharmaceutical, biotech, and medical device companies. Marcel Boller also advises on a variety of matters, such as clinical research.

Practice head(s):

Frank Scherrer 


Other key lawyers:

Marcel Boller 


Testimonials

‘Frank Scherrer and his team are the most competent lawyers in pharma law; they are fast, always well-prepared and available, and extremely competent. I have never come across a law firm like this. By far the best in Switzerland.’

‘Frank Scherrer is in my view the most knowledgeable and experienced lawyer in life science. He is calm, transparent and gives the true legal expertise, fast and to the point.’

 

Work highlights


  • Advising several major pharmaceutical companies on market access procedures for COVID-19 vaccines and therapies.
  • Advising several pharmaceutical companies on novel Health Technology Assessment procedure and representing them in the first appeal proceedings in Switzerland in this area of law.
  • Defending a pharmaceutical company in multi-jurisdictional product liability lawsuits.

Wenger Plattner

Wenger Plattner’s team advises and represents clients on matters of private and public law, including specific legislation applying to the healthcare sector. Its ‘exceptional industry knowledge’ is used to support clients such as hospitals, pharmaceutical and biotech companies, as well as individuals. Carlo Conti has expertise in all areas of life sciences and health law, as well as governmental and administrative law. Equity and transaction expert, Oliver Künzler, and Damian Schai’s, who focused on IP and IT matters, are also key contacts.

Practice head(s):

Carlo Conti


Other key lawyers:

Oliver Künzler; Damian Schai; Werner Wenger; Peter Mosimann ; Jürg Rieben ; Gerhard Schmid; Tobias Meili


Testimonials

‘The individuals have exceptional industry knowledge and an extensive network, which they are willing to share.’

‘At Wenger Plattner, you will experience exceptional value, individual attention at the highest level with the most experienced and qualified legal professionals. As a client, you feel you are in the best of hands and know that you can rely on the experts at Wenger Plattner around the clock and for any matter.’

‘Every interaction with this law firm confirms anew the highest level of professionalism.’

‘As a client of Wenger Plattner, we feel understood and in good hands in all situations.’

‘Werner Wenger is a proven expert in the field of international and national arbitration. With Werner Wenger, clients feel they are in good hands – whether they are dealing with complex contracts or other delicate issues. Thanks to his many years of experience and his broad range of knowledge, Werner Wenger is an attorney for the most complex cases.’

Key clients

SWICA


Zurzach Care AG (former RehaClinic AG)


Schweizerische Diabetes-Stiftung


Viollier AG


Casavita Stiftung


IQVIA AG


Medgate AG


Universitäre Psychiatrische Kliniken Basel


Universitätsspital Zürich


Caru AG


Bachem AG


Sana Kliniken AG / Sana Suisse Med AG


Swiss Medical Network Hospitals SA / GSMN Suisse SA


Work highlights


  • Assisted Bachem in negotiating a strategic collaboration with Eli Lilly and Company to develop and manufacture active pharmaceutical ingredients based on oligonucleotides, a rising new class of complex molecules.
  • Assisted Sana Kliniken AG in launching the group’s operations in Switzerland.
  • Legal support to SWICA regarding the optimization of its group structure.