Lydia Torne
Simmons & SimmonsKey pillars for the ‘excellent’ team at Simmons & Simmons are transactional work, regulatory issues, patent litigation and product liability. The unit is additionally increasingly active in the digital health space with practice head Michael Gavey a key driver behind the firm’s strength in this area. Lydia Torne is well versed in the intricacies of life sciences IP transactions, and Michael Burdon is highly experienced in the field of patent litigation. Scott Parker is hailed as ’one of the more impressive UK litigators in life sciences’, while Emily Agnoli specialises in investigations for corporate crime and has a particular focus on the life sciences sector.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘Simmons & Simmons London life sciences practice perhaps flies a bit under the radar, but it really shouldn't because it's excellent. Although I've only worked with a subset of the people there, they are a strong team who do great work in co-ordinating litigation across jurisdictions, and in representing their clients in the UK courts.'
‘Scott Parker is a very thoughtful and effective partner. He has a strong analytical mind and a good instinct, which make him one of the more impressive UK litigators in life sciences.'
- 'Christina Thompson is an extremely able associate who knows her way around the life sciences sector, and is a pleasure to work with.'
‘Simmons & Simmons' Healthcare and Life Sciences expertise encompasses and brings together a very wide range of legal services, from patents to consumer health and finance. This synergy allows Simmons & Simmons to assist their clients closely as well as develop specific expertise, such as digital health.’
‘Scott Parker is an outstanding lawyer with a very strong knowledge of both patent law and the pharmaceutical, biotech and medical device sectors. He is very reactive and diligent.'
- 'Benjamin Thomas is a rising star with a wide area of expertise, especially on patents and SPC. ’
‘The team has got valuable insight into our company business model and contractual preferences, allowing them to provide premium support.’
‘From what we see, the team manages to share tasks and utilize individual skillsets perfectly to the benefit of our company.’
Key clients
- GSK, Amgen, AstraZeneca, Merck Sharp & Dohme, Johnson & Johnson, Alnylam, Roche and Regeneron.
- Samsung Bioepis
- Cooper Consumer Health
- Boston Scientific Corporation
- Ascendis Pharma
- Whoop
- uniQure and CSL Behring
- Novartis
- Odin Medical Limited
- Altea Insurance
- Samsung Bioepis
Work highlights
- Advising Samsung Bioepis on a number of ongoing matters, including patent litigation for SB17, a biosimilar to reference medicine Stelara® (usetkinumab) and SB12, a biosimilar to reference medicine Soliris (eculizumab).
- Advising Cooper Consumer Health on its acquisition of Viatris' worldwide OTC business, which includes well-known brands, two production sites and a research and development site.
- Facilitated a strategic partnership for Ascendis Pharma, granting Teijin Limited an exclusive license in Japan for Ascendis’ innovative pro-drug technologies named TransCon hGH, TransCon PTH, and TransCon CNP – for endocrinology rare diseases in Japan.
Lawyers
Next Generation Partners
Junior partners with significant recognition from clients and peers in the market and key roles on multiple matters.
Practice head
The lawyer(s) leading their teams.
Michael Gavey