LICENSING & STRATEGIC ALLIANCES

• Daewoong Pharmaceutical (KRX: 069620) in multiple transactions, including:
  • its exclusive licensing agreement with CS Pharmaceuticals for a first-in-class PRS inhibitor ‘Bersiporocin’ in Greater China region
  • its exclusive license agreement with and equity investment in Vitalli Bio, a portfolio company of Aditum Bio, for the development and commercialization of a first-in-class new drug targeting Bruton's Tyrosine Kinase (BTK) and Interleukin-2-inducible T-cell kinase (ITK)
• LigaChem Biosciences (KRX: 141080) in numerous collaboration and license agreements, including:
  • two transactions involving the license of LigaChem technology to Ono Pharmaceutical (TSE/TYO: 4528), to grow Ono’s oncology portfolio: 
    • an exclusive license to LCB97, a pre-clinical stage antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) aimed at being a first-in-class drug in the field of solid tumors, for upfront and milestone payments of up to US$700 million, plus tiered royalties; and
    • a research collaboration and license agreement to generate novel ADC candidates leveraging LigaChem’s ConjuAll™️ ADC platform, granting Ono an exclusive global right to ADC candidates to be generated against multiple targets selected by Ono, for a target exclusivity fee, milestone payments, and tiered royalties
  • two exclusive worldwide antibody licensing deals with NovaRock Biotherapeutics for ADC Drug Development
  • a worldwide in-licensing transaction with Go Therapeutics for a new antibody platform designed for the development of ADCs
  • an antibody discovery agreement with Trican Biotechnology in which LigaChem will advance its proprietary pipeline of antibody-drug conjugate using antibodies generated by Trican
  • a $300 million licensing agreement with Pyxis Oncology for the development and sales of LCB67, an investigational antibody drug conjugate, for the high unmet need in advanced solid cancer treatment 
  • a global licensing agreement with CStone Pharmaceuticals (HKEX: 2616) for the development and commercialization of LCB71, a potential first-in-class/best-in-class antibody drug conjugate, for $363.5 million in upfront, milestone and tiered royalty payments
  • two collaborations with Iksuda Therapeutics totaling over $625 million in development, regulatory and commercial milestone payments: (i) a research collaboration and license agreement for the development of antibody-drug conjugates in oncology, (ii) a global license agreement for the development and commercialization of LCB73, a CD19-targeted ADC candidate for hematological tumors
  • a $400+ million multi-target research collaboration and license agreement with Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited
• Lantheus Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: LNTH), a leading radiopharmaceutical-focused company, in its exclusive licensing agreement with GE HealthCare (NASDAQ: GEHC) to develop, manufacture, and commercialize Lantheus’ piflufolastat F18 (marketed as PYLARIFY® in the U.S.) in Japan
• AffaMed Therapeutics, a global clinical stage biopharmaceutical company, in its strategic collaboration agreement with leading digital therapeutics company Beijing Infinite Brain Technologies to promote the application and development of digital therapy in neurological disorders.
• OliPass Corporation, a Korean biopharmaceutical company, in negotiating a worldwide collaboration agreement with Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (BMS) to develop antisense therapeutics against multiple targets using OliPass’s technology.
• Bridge Biotherapeutics in a collaboration and license agreement in excess of €1.1 billion in upfront and milestone payments, plus royalties, with Boehringer Ingelheim to develop Bridge Biotherapeutics’ autotaxin inhibitor BBT-877 for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and other fibrosing interstitial lung diseases.
• LG Chem Life Sciences in a $900+ million multi-target, strategic collaboration announced in November 2018 with CUE Biopharma that provides LG Chem with the Asia rights to Cue Biopharma’s lead immuno-oncology CUE-101 program, and products in the two other CUE-102 and CUE-103 programs as well as a worldwide option for another antigen focused biologic.
• Dong-A ST in its $525 million exclusive license agreement for the global development and commercialization of its investigational immuno-oncology drug Mer tyrosine kinase inhibitor (Mer TKI) with U.S. pharmaceutical company AbbVie Inc.

INTERNATIONAL LITIGATION AND ARBITRATION

International Arbitration

• Axiata Investments (UK) Limited and Ncell Private Limited v. Nepal. Represented Nepal in an ICSID arbitration under the UK-Nepal bilateral investment treaty in a dispute concerning the imposition of capital gains tax on the acquisition of shares in a Nepalese telecom company. The tribunal dismissed all claimants' claims on the merits.
• Louis Dreyfus Armateurs SAS v. Republic of India.  Represented India in a UNCITRAL arbitration under the India – France bilateral investment treaty arising from a contract concerning the supply and operation of cargo handling equipment in the Indian State of West Bengal. In the final award, the Tribunal not only dismissed all claims, but also awarded India $7.2 million in costs.
• Maxis Communications and Global Communication Services v. Republic of India. Representing India in an UNCITRAL arbitration under the India-Malaysia and India-Mauritius bilateral investment treaties relating to measures in the telecommunications sector.
• Nissan Motors Ltd. v. Republic of India. Represented India in a UNCITRAL Arbitration under the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement between India and Japan arising from alleged non-payment of tax refunds relating to the activities of an integrated automobile project in the Indian State of Tamil Nadu.
• Niko Resources v. Bangladesh Oil Gas and Mineral Corporation (Petrobangla), Bangladesh Petroleum Exploration and Production Company Limited (Bapex). Represented Bangladesh and two State entities concerning the causes and impacts of two gas blowouts.
• Chevron Bangladesh Block Twelve, Ltd. and Chevron Bangladesh Blocks Thirteen and Fourteen, Ltd. v. People’s Republic of Bangladesh and Bangladesh Oil Gas and Mineral Corporation. Representing Bangladesh and Petrobangla in a dispute with Chevron relating to the treatment of certain labor fund contributions under the ICSID Convention.
• Niko Exploration (Block 9) Ltd. v. Bangladesh and Bangladesh Oil and Gas Mineral Corp. Representing Bangladesh and its State-owned oil and gas company in a contract-based ICSID arbitration proceedings.
• KrisEnergy Bangladesh Limited v. People’s Republic of Bangladesh and Bangladesh Oil, Gas and Mineral Corporation. Representing Petrobangla and Bangladesh in a taxation dispute with KrisEnergy under the ICSID Convention.
• Amulsar Investor Ventures LLC v Republic of Armenia. Counsel to Armenia in an UNCITRAL arbitration under the Armenia-United States bilateral investment dispute concerning alleged investments in a gold mining project.
• Sanitek S.a.r.l., Sari Haddad and Elias Doumet v. Republic of Armenia. Counsel to Armenia in an ICSID arbitration under the Armenia-Canada and Armenia-Lebanon bilateral investment treaties in a dispute concerning waste management services.
• Walnort Finance Limited v. Republic of Armenia. Counsel to Armenia in a dispute before ICSID under the Armenia-Cyprus bilateral investment treaty.
• Samvel Karapetyan and others v. Republic of Armenia.  Counsel to Armenia in an SCC arbitration under the Armenia-Cyprus BIT concerning measures in the energy sector.
• Olayan Financing Company (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia) v. The State of Qatar. Counsel to Qatar in an UNCITRAL arbitration under the OIC Investment Agreement concerning a private real estate dispute.
• Counsel to a Qatar Public Works Authority in an ICC arbitration regarding the construction of a waste management plant.
• Counsel to a Qatari ministerial agency in an ICC arbitration regarding audiovisual services for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
• Counsel to a UAE‑incorporated entity in an UNCITRAL price‑revision dispute with a UN agency (settled successfully).
• Represented a South Asian State agency in an ICC arbitration brought by a solar energy developer over the latter's breach of a power purchase agreement for the construction and operation of a solar power plant. Obtained summary dismissal of claim.
• Represented a Southeast Asian State in an ICC arbitration seated in Lausanne, Switzerland governed by Swiss Law over defects in the design and construction of a nuclear power plant.
• Representing an Asian State-owned entity before a dispute arbitration board in a dispute with a consortium of foreign construction companies related to the construction of an electric infrastructure.
• Representing an Asian State agency in an ICC arbitration arising out of a dispute regarding the construction of Bangladesh’s first ever deep-sea port under a FIDIC contract, including force majeure claims relating to COVID.

State-to-State Disputes

• Application of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (Armenia v. Azerbaijan); Application of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (Azerbaijan v. Armenia). Representing Armenia in proceedings before the International Court of Justice arising from allegations of breach of the CERD. Secured critical victories for Armenia on provisional measures and jurisdiction.
• The Philippines v. China. Represented the Philippines in the historical arbitral proceeding under Annex VII of UNCLOS to determine the maritime entitlements of the Philippines and China in the South China Sea.
• Azerbaijan v. Armenia (Energy Charter Treaty). Counsel to Armenia in proceedings brought by Azerbaijan under the Energy Charter Treaty.
• Azerbaijan v. Armenia (Bern Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats). Counsel to Armenia in proceedings brought by Azerbaijan under the Bern Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats.
• Walnort Finance Limited v. Republic of Armenia. Counsel to Armenia in a dispute before ICSID under the Armenia-Cyprus bilateral investment treaty.
• Samvel Karapetyan and others v. Republic of Armenia.  Counsel to Armenia in an SCC arbitration under the Armenia-Cyprus BIT concerning measures in the energy sector.
• Olayan Financing Company (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia) v. The State of Qatar. Counsel to Qatar in an UNCITRAL arbitration under the OIC Investment Agreement concerning a private real estate dispute.
• Counsel to a Qatar Public Works Authority in an ICC arbitration regarding the construction of a waste management plant.
• Counsel to a Qatari ministerial agency in an ICC arbitration regarding audiovisual services for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
• Counsel to a UAE‑incorporated entity in an UNCITRAL price‑revision dispute with a UN agency (settled successfully).

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

• Provide global patent prosecution strategy and advice for many Korean clients including ABL, Bridge Bio, LigaChem, IntoCell, NEXEL, OliPass, Yungjin and Yuyu Pharma
• Advised a public US biotech company in term sheet negotiation and IP diligence for licensing a muscular dystrophy therapeutic from a public China biotech company.
• Provide IP strategy and advice to Instil Bio in their collaboration with ImmuneOnco Biopharmaceuticals (China) on IMM2510 and IMM27M, including FTO and landscape analyses, PTA/PTE and data exclusivity, and advising on IP rights outside Greater China.
• Represented WuXi Biologics in performing IP due diligence for an in-licensing transaction.
• Conducted IP due diligence for a US-based investment fund on the creation of a joint venture with a Chinese pharmaceutical company.
• Represented a US-based investor conducting IP diligence on a small-molecule PDE3/PDE4 inhibitor being developed by a China-based biotech.
• Represents Curis in prosecuting a patent portfolio for emavusertib, an IRAK4 inhibitor, developed in collaboration with India-based Aurigene.
• Advises a public US client in IP strategies for protecting a tyrosine kinase inhibitor arising from a collaboration with a Singapore-based company.
• Represented a Chinese food manufacturer in connection with prosecution and protection of its trademarks and logos in the United States.
• Represented a multinational Chinese retail marketplace platform in connection with prosecution and protection of its trademarks and logos in the United States.

OTHER CORPORATE, RESTRUCTURING & CAPITAL MARKETS TRANSACTIONS

• Major Korean Life Science Fund’s investment into a gene editing company based in Cambridge, MA.
• Genosco, a biotechnology company in Billerica, Massachusetts, in connection with its financing rounds.
• Investment arm of a major Korean Commercial bank in connection with general matters in the United States.
• HLB Therapeutics in connection with the establishment of its subsidiary in the United States.
• Chongkundang in connection with the establishment of its subsidiary in the United States.
• Major Korean Corporate Venture Capital in connection with investments into (i) a protein therapeutics company and (ii) an AI-focused drug developer.
• Public company disclosure and other related matters in connection with Korean companies’ investments into NASDAQ-listed companies.

FDA

• Advised Celltrion in its first ever U.S. biosimilar approval under the new U.S. abbreviated pathway for biosimilars to gain U.S. FDA approval (second ever under the U.S. Biologics Price Competition and Innovation Act (BPCIA) and abbreviated Biologics License Application (aBLA)).

M&A

• CRScube in its acquisition of Mednet, a healthcare technology company.

REIMBURSEMENT

• Advised Yuyu Pharma on a variety of reimbursement matters including requirements for coverage under Medicare Part D.