Aaron R. Gardner

Mr. Gardner’s experience includes representing:

Licensing and Collaborations

• Sanofi in a collaboration with Scribe Therapeutics Inc. for the use by Sanofi of Scribe’s CRISPR genome editing technologies to enable genetic modification of novel natural killer (NK) cell therapies for cancer*
• Sanofi in a collaboration with Innovent Biologics, a China-based biopharmaceutical company, to accelerate the development and commercialization of oncology medicines for patients in China with difficult-to-treat cancers*
• Sanofi in an exclusive collaboration with Seagen to design, develop, and commercialize antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) for up to three cancer targets, utilizing Sanofi’s proprietary monoclonal antibody technology and Seagen’s proprietary ADC technology*
• Pfizer in its:
  • Exclusive collaboration with Beam Therapeutics focused on in vivo base editing programs for three targets for rare genetic diseases of the liver, muscle, and central nervous system*
  • Worldwide exclusive licensing agreement with Akcea Therapeutics for AKCEA-ANGPTL3-LRx, an investigational antisense therapy being developed to treat patients with certain cardiovascular and metabolic diseases*
  • Joint creation of Cerevel Therapeutics (a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing drug candidates to treat central nervous system disorders) with Bain Capital*
  • Worldwide licensing agreement with OPKO Health, granting Pfizer exclusive rights to develop and commercialize OPKO’’s long-acting human growth hormone to treat growth hormone deficiency in adults and children*
• AstraZeneca in agreements to fund and globally distribute the University of Oxford’’s potential COVID-19 vaccine, as well as establishing its global manufacturing and supply chain for the vaccine, including agreements with the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, Gavi the Vaccine Alliance, the Serum Institute of India, and the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority in the US, as well as the governments of Germany, France, Italy, and the Netherlands*
• Bayer in obtaining OTC rights to Astepro allergy nasal spray, the first steroid-free antihistamine nasal spray for allergy relief to be authorized for over-the-counter use in the United States*

M&A and Divestitures

• Novartis in its:
  • Series B financing and exclusive option to acquire Kedalion Therapeutics*
  • Divestiture of its rights to dementia treatment Exelon® in Canada and Latin America to Knight Therapeutics*
  • Sale of the Sandoz US generic oral solids and dermatology businesses to Aurobindo Pharma USA (terminated)*
  • Sale to Recordati of worldwide rights to Signifor®, Signifor® LAR®, and osilodrostat*
  • Sale to Mylan of its global cystic fibrosis products, including the TOBI® Podhaler and TOBI® solution*
  • Sale of the rights to schizophrenia drug Clozaril® in the US and Canada to HLS Therapeutics*
  • Acquisition of Admune Therapeutics, a clinical-stage company with an IL-15 agonist program for metastatic cancer*
  • Acquisition of the remaining 23% stake in eye-care firm Alcon*
  • Divestiture of a portfolio of ophthalmic products, including branded pharmaceuticals, generics, diagnostics, and over-the-counter medicines to Laboratoires Thea*
  • Sale to Bausch + Lomb of worldwide rights to Miochol®-E, an injectable miotic*
  • Acquisition by Sandoz’s Oriel Therapeutics, gaining rights to a portfolio of respiratory products targeting asthma and COPD*
  • Acquisition of Corthera, a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company developing relaxin for treatment of acute decompensated heart failure*
• Pfizer in its:
  • Sale to Biogen of a novel CNS-penetrant small-molecule inhibitor of casein kinase 1, for the potential treatment of patients with behavioral and neurological symptoms across various psychiatric and neurological diseases*
  • Sale to Biogen of a first-in-class, Phase 2b-ready AMPA receptor potentiator for cognitive impairment associated with schizophrenia*
  • Acquisition of InnoPharma, a privately held, sterile-product development company developing complex generic and innovative specialty pharmaceutical products in injectable and ophthalmic dosage forms*
• Pharmacosmos in acquiring Abfero Pharmaceuticals, a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company dedicated to treating iron overload diseases*
• Enzyvant in selling an investigational enzyme replacement therapy to treat Farber disease, a group of inherited metabolic disorders for which no disease-specific therapy exists, to Aceragen*
• Alcon in its US$285 million acquisition of PowerVision, a medical device development company focused on creating fluid-based intraocular lens implants*
• Several global pharmaceutical companies in acquiring Food and Drug Administration priority review vouchers*
• Reckitt Bensicker in acquiring UpSpring, an innovative pre- and post-natal healthcare company*
• Pharmachem Laboratories, a leading provider of quality ingredients to the global health and wellness industries, on its sale to Ashland, a global leader in providing specialty chemical solutions to consumer and industrial markets*
• Lonza, a Switzerland-based pharmaceutical, biotech, and specialty ingredients supplier, in the strategic acquisition of California-based InterHealth Nutraceuticals, a Kainos Capital portfolio company*
• Celgene in an equity investment in, development collaboration with, and option to acquire Abide Therapeutics, a development-stage company focused on developing innovative medicines targeting serine hydrolases*

Private Equity

• Carestream Health, an Onex portfolio company, in selling its healthcare information systems business to Royal Philips, a global leader in health technology*
• Halifax Capital Partners in selling portfolio company Caring Brands International, a worldwide franchisor of home healthcare services, to Levine Leichtman Capital Partners*
• American Securities Capital Partners in selling Healthy Directions, a direct-to-consumer retailer of doctor-formulated nutrition supplements and skincare products, to Helen of Troy Limited*
• Onex in:
  • Selling the Center for Diagnostic Imaging, a US diagnostic and therapeutic radiology services provider, to Insight Imaging*
  • Acquiring Eastman Kodak’s healthcare group*

*Matter handled prior to joining the firm