News - Sexton Riley LLP

Sexton Riley LLP Represents Janssen Affiliate Cilag GmbH International Enters Worldwide Collaboration and License Agreement with argenx for Cancer Immunotherapy Cusatuzumab

December 3, 2018

Sexton Riley LLP represented Cilag GmbH International, an affiliate of the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson, in a worldwide collaboration and license agreement with argenx BVBA and argenx SE, to develop and commercialize cusatuzumab (ARGX-110). Cusatuzumab is an investigational therapeutic antibody that targets CD70, an immune checkpoint implicated in numerous cancers, including hematological malignancies. Under the terms of the agreement, Janssen will jointly develop and globally commercialize cusatuzumab in AML, MDS, and potential future indications, as well as next generation CD70 antibodies. Janssen will make an upfront payment of $300 million USD and additional payments based upon the achievement of certain development, regulatory and sales milestones.

The Janssen press release is here.

Sexton Riley LLP Represents Janssen in Worldwide Collaboration and License Agreement with Chinese Company Legend Biotech to Develop Investigational CAR-T Anti-Cancer Therapy

December 21, 2017

Sexton Riley LLP represented Janssen Biotech, Inc., a Janssen Pharmaceutical Company of Johnson & Johnson, in a worldwide collaboration and license agreement with Legend Biotech USA Inc. and Legend Biotech Ireland Limited (“Legend”), subsidiaries of Genscript Biotech Corporation, to develop, manufacture and commercialize a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell drug candidate, LCAR-B38M, which specifically targets the B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA). Under terms of the agreement, Legend will grant Janssen a worldwide license to jointly develop and commercialize LCAR-B38M in multiple myeloma with the Legend team of experts. The companies have entered into a 50/50 percent cost-sharing/profit-split arrangement, except in Greater China, where Janssen and Legend have a 30/70 percent cost-sharing/profit-split arrangement. Janssen made an upfront payment of $350 million.

The Janssen press release is here.

Sexton Riley LLP Represents Janssen in Worldwide Exclusive License and Collaboration Agreement with Protagonist Therapeutics

May 30, 2017

Sexton Riley LLP represented Janssen Biotech, Inc., one of the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson, in a worldwide exclusive license and collaboration agreement with Protagonist Therapeutics, Inc. (Protagonist) to develop, manufacture and commercialize PTG-200, a first-in-class, oral interleukin-23 receptor (IL-23R) antagonist drug candidate in development for the treatment of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis (UC).

The Janssen press release is here.

Sexton Riley LLP Serves as a Legal Adviser to Johnson & Johnson in its Acquisition of Actelion for $30 Billion with Spin-Out of New R&D Company

January 26, 2017

Johnson & Johnson and Actelion Ltd. announced on January 26, 2017 that they have entered into a definitive transaction agreement under which Johnson & Johnson will launch an all-cash tender offer in Switzerland to acquire all of the outstanding shares of Actelion for $280 per share. As part of the transaction, immediately prior to the completion of the acquisition, Actelion will spin out its drug discovery operations and early-stage clinical development assets into a newly created Swiss biopharmaceutical company (“R&D NewCo”). Johnson & Johnson will also receive an option on ACT-132577, a product within R&D NewCo being developed for resistant hypertension currently in phase 2 clinical development.

Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP, Homburger AG and SextonRiley LLP are serving as legal advisors to Johnson & Johnson.

The Johnson & Johnson press release is here. The New York Times article is here.

Sexton Riley LLP Represents Janssen in Strategic Licensing Collaboration with TRACON Pharmaceuticals

September 28, 2016

Sexton Riley LLP represented Janssen Pharmaceutica N.V., one of the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson, in a strategic licensing collaboration for two novel oncology assets from Janssen’s early development portfolio, with Janssen retaining certain rights to potentially reacquire the programs. The TRACON press release is here.

Sexton Riley LLP Represents Janssen Biotech in Global Prostate Cancer Collaboration with TESARO, Inc.

April 6, 2016

Sexton Riley LLP represented Janssen Biotech Inc., one of the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson, in a global prostate cancer collaboration and license agreement with TESARO, Inc. The agreement is focused on the development and commercialization of niraparib specifically for the treatment of prostate cancer. Niraparib is an oral, once daily, potent, and highly selective PARP inhibitor that is currently being evaluated in Phase 3 clinical trials for ovarian and breast cancer.

The TESARO press release is here.

Sexton Riley LLP Advises Janssen on ViiV Injectable HIV Treatment Regimen Collaboration

January 7, 2016

Sexton Riley LLP represented Janssen Ireland Sciences UC in its collaboration agreement with ViiV Healthcare on phase III development and commercialization of a two drug regimen of two long acting, all-injectable formulations of rilpivirine (a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor by Janssen) and cabotegravir (ViiV Healthcare) for the treatment of HIV.

The Janssen press release is here.

Sexton Riley LLP Advises Johnson & Johnson Innovation on enGene Strategic Collaboration

October 14, 2015

Sexton Riley LLP represented Johnson & Johnson Innovation in its strategic collaboration agreement with enGene, Inc., a gene therapy company, to develop and commercialize new therapies for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

The enGene press release is here.

Sexton Riley LLP Represents 3x5 Special Opportunity Fund in $30.8 Million Financing of Smart Wires

June 4, 2015

Sexton Riley LLP served as counsel to 3x5 Special Opportunity Fund, a fund formed by RiverVest Venture Partners and Arnerich Massena & Associates, in its investment in Smart Wires' $30.8 million Series C venture capital financing in June 2015. Smart Wires provides power grid optimization solutions to utilities using its patented distributed power flow control technology.

A Greentech Media article about the financing and Smart Wires' technology is here.

Sexton Riley LLP Advises Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. on Divestiture of U.S. License Rights to Nucynta

April 2, 2015

Sexton Riley LLP served as co-counsel to Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. in its divestiture of its U.S. license rights to NUCYNTA (tapentadol) products to Depomed, Inc. for $1.05 billion.

The Janssen press release is here.