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The life sciences industry is one of the most innovative and fast-moving sectors globally - driving breakthroughs in biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and digital health. But with innovation comes complexity. From navigating evolving regulatory frameworks to safeguarding intellectual property, the legal challenges can be as intricate as the science itself.
At Mills & Reeve, we specialise in turning complexity into opportunity. Our dedicated team of life sciences lawyers - including professionals with bioscience backgrounds - offers deep sector knowledge, commercial insight, and legal expertise to support your growth at every stage.
Whether you're a biotech start-up, university spin-out, global pharmaceutical company, research institute, CRO, or life sciences investor, we understand the pressures you face - from securing funding and protecting IP to managing compliance and scaling operations.
Our nationally recognised, multi-disciplinary team delivers strategic, forward-thinking legal advice across the full life sciences lifecycle. We don’t just solve problems - we help you anticipate them, manage risk, and unlock potential.
We advise on all aspects of the life sciences journey, including:
Corporate, Commercial & Financing Transactions
Venture capital, joint ventures, licensing, M&A, and strategic collaborations
Intellectual Property (IP)
IP strategy, protection, licensing, enforcement, and portfolio management
Privacy & Data Protection
GDPR compliance, clinical trials data, health data, and international data transfers
Regulatory and Compliance
UK, EU, and global regulatory frameworks for medicines, medical devices, diagnostics, and digital health
Employment, Immigration and Pensions
Cross-border talent acquisition, retention strategies, and workforce planning
Product Liability and Risk Management
Product safety, recalls, insurance, and risk mitigation
Competition Law
Antitrust, merger control, and foreign investment screening
Dispute Resolution and Litigation
IP disputes, contractual issues, regulatory challenges, and commercial litigation
Tax and Employee Incentives
Corporate tax planning, share schemes, and business structuring
Real Estate for Life Sciences
Development and occupation of science parks, lab spaces, and manufacturing facilities
Our team of legal experts are here to support you. Contact one of our lawyers today.
We regularly act for life sciences businesses on transactions in North America, throughout Europe and in Asia.
Our market-leading university, charity and healthcare practices mean we've seen the issues you're facing from all sides.
Our team is nationally recognised in the Legal 500. All our leading lawyers are ranked in the main legal directories.
Our clients include:
We're hosting a series of roundtable events around the country focusing on how each of these gaps can be addressed to overcome the barriers to better health outcomes for women. Our findings are then turned into a series of reports that you can download.
We also contribute to Mills & Reeve's technology blog and GDPR articles.
Investment will allow the Cambridge-based biotech company to transform women’s health through innovative tissue-level therapeutics.
We advised neuroscience company NRG Therapeutics on its £50m Series B financing.
Our venture capital investment experts have advised on a $55 million Series C funding round for an Oxford-based pioneer of AI driven cardiology solutions.
We advised on an $18m Series B2 funding round for biotech firm, Colorifix, to help commercialise its sustainable dyeing technology.
We're thrilled to have advised Tessellate Bio, a precision oncology company specialising in novel synthetic lethality approaches, on its research collaboration and global licence agreement with Boehringer Ingelheim.
We're delighted to announce the arrival of James Foster from Wilson Sonsini as a corporate partner focussing on technology and life sciences M&A.
Mills & Reeve has maintained its ranking as the 33rd most innovative law firm in the Financial Times’ Innovative Lawyers: Europe list, with particular recognition for technology, people and social responsibility.
We've advised the Wellcome Sanger Institute on the spinout of Mosaic Therapeutics which has secured $28m Series A funding.
National law firm Mills & Reeve has advised the management team at market access consulting provider, MAP Patient Access, on an investment by Kester Capital to fund its ambitious growth plans.
UK medicines regulator, the MHRA, has carried out an extensive, two-day raid on an illicit weight loss medicines facility.
Legislation passed in 2023 opened the door to greater flexibility for precision genetic technology. From November 2025, new rules will streamline the approval process (in England only) for precision bred plant varieties—those developed using advanced gene editing tools like CR...
PISCES is a new type of platform where shares in private companies can be traded. As companies choose to stay private for longer, PISCES should give investors the opportunity to trade private company shares easily and efficiently in an organised marketplace.
The UK’s clinical trials framework is undergoing a major transformation. Both the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and the Health Research Authority (HRA) have published updated guidance to support sponsors and other stakeholders through the transition.
The European Commission announced on 30 September that it has carried out unannounced inspections (otherwise known as ‘dawn raids’) at the premises of a company active in the vaccines sector. The dawn raids constitute a preliminary step in the Commission’s investigation into w...
The UK is positioning itself as a leading choice for clinical research. Alongside streamlining its legislative framework to offer greater efficiency, accessibility and innovation, the UK government is pushing for improvements to contracting and review processes.
The UK government is promoting innovative technology to improve patient care. This blog explores current regulatory requirements for developers and offers guidance on working with the NHS during the development process.
In our recent webinar, we explored the complexities of borderline products, focusing on categories that often raise challenging questions.
Our Life Sciences Legal Forum offers quarterly sessions focusing on hot topics within the life sciences sector.
We advise companies and researchers working in biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, diagnostics, and healthcare innovation. Our work covers regulatory compliance, intellectual property, contracts, talent, and commercial strategy.
It can be a real advantage. Some of our life sciences IP lawyers hold degrees in biology, chemistry, or related fields, which helps them understand complex scientific concepts and communicate clearly with clients and stakeholders.
Absolutely. Life sciences lawyers regularly draft and negotiate agreements for R&D partnerships, licensing deals, and technology transfer. We’ve supported a wide range of clients across the sector with these types of arrangements.
Yes, specialist legal advice is strongly recommended. Life sciences lawyers often assist with clinical trial agreements, regulatory filings, and navigating approval pathways for drugs and devices. These processes can be complex and benefit from expert guidance.
Some of the legal pitfalls include;
Preparing for an exit - whether through acquisition, IPO, or another growth strategy - requires strategic, operational, financial, and legal readiness. We regularly help clients plan and execute successful exits. Having a clear timeline and strategy in place can really help maximise value.