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- Home
- Practices and Industries
- Life Sciences
- Life Sciences Litigation and Investigations
Covington offers one of the world's most active and respected life sciences litigation and investigations practices. Drawing on the expertise of Covington's pre-eminent Food, Drug and Device Regulatory Practice, our litigators have guided leading and emerging life sciences companies through the most complex and high-profile investigations and lawsuits involving pharmaceuticals, medical devices, food, beverages and cosmetics. Our experience includes every dispute that a life sciences company can encounter throughout the product lifecycle, including:
- Antitrust Litigation
- Commercial Litigation
- False Claims Act Litigation
- FDA Litigation
- Global Anti-Corruption
- Government Investigations
- Insurance
- Patent Litigation
- Private Payer & Consumer Fraud Litigation
- Products Liability
- Securities Litigation
- State Attorney General Litigation
Our litigators, including seven members of the American College of Trial Lawyers, have successfully tried hundreds of jury and bench trials. We appear before national and international courts in Europe, state and federal courts and enforcement authorities throughout the U.S., and arbitral tribunals throughout the world. We also counsel clients in cross-border disputes in Europe, Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and the Americas, utilizing a trusted network of local counsel and our own distinguished team of former diplomats and advisers.
Hatch-Waxman settlement investigation and class action
AstraZeneca in an FTC investigation and private antitrust class action litigation concerning settlements of Hatch-Waxman patent litigation involving Nexium.
Trial Win for Salix in Pharma License Agreement Dispute
Won defense verdict for Salix following two-week jury trial in New York State Court. Collaboration partner Napo alleged failures to use “commercially reasonable efforts” to bring licensed drug to market. Despite seeking $260 million and contract termination, Napo recovered nothing.
False Claims Act litigation and appellate defense
Successful defense of Pfizer in both the district court and the court of appeals on a series of claims by a relator concerning Genotropin.
Reversal of FDA denial of period of exclusivity
Representation of Amarin in the first known reversal of an FDA denial of a 5-year period of new chemical entity (NCE) exclusivity since the enactment of the Hatch-Waxman Amendments in 1984, in connection with Amarin’s Vascepa drug for lowering triglyceride levels.
China pharma bribery investigation
Representation of a major pharmaceutical company in its response to a Chinese government commercial bribery investigation in China.
Off-label promotion and reporting investigations
Representation of GlaxoSmithKline in global settlement of three investigations relating to off-label promotion, safety reporting and price reporting.
Won TRO Fight for Lilly in Co-Promotion Dispute Regarding Important Diabetes Drug
Successfully defended Lilly against contract and antitrust claims brought by Amylin relating to an injectable diabetes treatment. We convinced the court to dissolve a TRO and deny a preliminary injunction, allowing Lilly to proceed with promotional activities for important medicine.
Genetic diagnostics strategic alliance
Illumina in a strategic alliance with Genomics England for a four-year project to decode 100,000 human genomes.
GSK DOJ pharmaceutical investigation
Represented GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) in resolving a complex criminal and civil investigation by the United States Department of Justice. The multi-faceted investigation had a broad focus, including issues relating to GSK’s sales and marketing practices for numerous products, its regulatory submissions relating to Avandia, and the company’s use of the nominal price exception under the Medicaid Rebate Program.
Life Sciences Group Of The Year: Covington & Burling
February 10, 2017, Law360
Law360 selected Covington’s Life Sciences practice as a “Practice Group of the Year,” highlighting the firm’s involvement in billion-dollar transactions, success in contentious litigation, and regulatory advice on cutting-edge technology. According to Michael Labson, “What we offer and bring to complicated, complex issues is a mixture of deep subject-matter ...
Product Liability Group Of The Year: Covington & Burling
January 17, 2017, Law360
Law360 selected Covington’s Product Liability practice as a “Practice Group of the Year,” profiling the team’s defense of Takata in litigation over potentially explosive airbags and Bayer Healthcare in multidistrict litigation (MDL) over Mirena IUDs, among other matters. According to Paul Schmidt, the firm’s range of work showcases its diversity of ...
Postmarking Issues
November 3, 2016, FDLI Introduction to Medical Device Law and Regulation Course
Dealing with Adverse Events/Product Problems
June 13-14, 2016, FDLI/CDRH In-House Training: Introduction to Medical Device Law and Regulation Workshop
Postmarket Issues And Strategies
March 31, 2016, FDLI Hot Topics in Medical Device Law Conference
The American Lawyer Names Covington “Litigation Department of the Year: Product Liability”
December 22, 2015
WASHINGTON, DC, December 22, 2015 - The American Lawyer has named Covington its “Litigation Department of the Year: Product Liability.” The magazine recognizes the firm for its “string of big victories in trial and appellate courts, major settlements, plus a creative strategic edge that sets it apart.” In its profile of the firm in its January 2016 issue, The ...
Premarket Approvals (PMAs)
September 16, 2015, FDLI/CDRH In-House Training: Introduction to Medical Device Law and Regulation Workshop
European Union: Pharmaceuticals
August 2015, An Extract from The European Antitrust Review 2016
Life Sciences Congressional Investigations: Trends, Traps and Tips
June 17, 2015, Life Sciences Essentials Webinar Series
January 13, 2015
WASHINGTON, DC, January 13, 2015 — For the third consecutive year, Law360 named Covington’s life sciences practice one of the top “Life Sciences Practice Groups of the Year.” Law360 recognized Covington for its “significant litigation wins and helping clinch big deals between pharmaceutical companies.” Among the matters highlighted were Covington’s handling of ...
December 31, 2013, Covington E-Alert
March 9, 2009, Covington E-Alert
Covington Secures Arbitration Victory for GPC Biotech
November 6, 2007
WASHINGTON, DC, November 6, 2007 — Covington & Burling LLP has won a favorable arbitration ruling for GPC Biotech AG in its dispute with Spectrum Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Yesterday, a three-arbitrator panel of the American Arbitration Association unanimously rejected all of Spectrum’s claims against GPC Biotech under their co-development and license agreement for ...
June 18, 2007
WASHINGTON, DC, June 18, 2007 — Covington & Burling LLP received 44 practice mentions and 74 individual mentions in the newly released 2007 Chambers USA guidebook. The 2007 edition of Chambers USA attempts to identify the most skilled legal practitioners throughout the country based on the qualities most valued by clients. Covington attorneys have been ...
Covington Ranked World's Top Life Sciences Firm
January 11, 2006
WASHINGTON, D.C., January 11, 2006 - Covington & Burling announced today it was awarded worldwide first place firm rankings in the Life Sciences Industry and Life Sciences Regulatory categories. The Life Sciences Industry Super League and Life Sciences Regulatory Super League law firm rankings, published in the Practical Law Company's Cross-border Quarterly ...
Covington & Burling Announces Eight New Partners
October 3, 2002
October 3, 2002 - WASHINGTON, D.C. - Covington & Burling announced that eight attorneys have been elected to the partnership, effective October 1, 2002. New partners in Covington's Litigation Practice include Georgia Kazakis and Edward H. Rippey. Michael S. Labson is a new partner in the firm's Food and Drug and Life Sciences Practices. Erin M. Egan and Jennifer ...
- Selected by The National Law Journal as “Washington Litigation Department of the Year” in 2013 and a runner up in 2015 .
- The only firm recognized by Chambers & Partners as a top tier firm for Life Sciences across the U.S., UK, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Global guides.
- Awarded “Life Sciences Practice Group of the Year” by Law360 in 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016.
- Recognized by Chambers for Product Liability and Mass Torts; Food & Beverage Regulatory and Litigation; Insurance Dispute Resolution; Intellectual Property; International Arbitration; Life Sciences; and Appellate.
- Recommended by Legal 500 US for Product liability and mass tort defense: pharmaceuticals and medical devices; and Legal 500 UK for Product liability: defendant, and Pharmaceuticals and biotechnology.