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Michael J. Riella

Partner

Washington +1 202 662 5168

  • About
  • Representative Matters
  • Credentials
  • About

    Mike Riella helps companies structure and execute strategic M&A and capital markets transactions, and navigate the evolving corporate governance and securities disclosure landscape.

    Mike’s practice focuses on public and private mergers and acquisitions, acquisitions and divestitures of pharmaceutical and biologic products, securities offerings and corporate governance. His transactional experience extends throughout the United States, Europe and Asia.

    Mike represents clients principally in the life sciences, health care, technology and gaming industries. Mike was recognized by The American Lawyer as a 2022 “Corporate Dealmaker of the Year," for his work representing Merck it its $11.5 billion acquisition of Acceleron Pharma, and he is Chambers-rated in Corporate/M&A & Private Equity.

    Mike is a vice-chair of the firm’s Corporate Practice Group. His pro bono activities include advising nonprofit organizations in the DC metropolitan area regarding governance, strategic planning, commercial and general corporate matters.

    Areas of Expertise

  • Practices and Industries
  • Representative Matters
    • Advised Merck in its:
      • $680 million acquisition of Harpoon Therapeutics (Nasdaq: HARP);
      • $11.5 billion acquisition of Acceleron Pharma (Nasdaq: XLRN);
      • $1.85 billion acquisition of Pandion Therapeutics (Nasdaq: PAND);
      • $2.7 billion acquisition of ArQule (Nasdaq: ARQL);
      • acquisition of Themis Bioscience, a SARS-CoV-2 candidate developer; and
      • €2.1 billion acquisition of Antelliq Group, a leader in digital animal identification, traceability and monitoring solutions.
    • Advised Bristol Myers Squibb in its:
      • $14.0 billion acquisition of Karuna Therapeutics (Nasdaq: KRTX); and
      • $4.1 billion acquisition of RayzeBio inc. (Nasdaq: RAYZ).
    • Advised Novartis in its up to $1.7 billion acquisition of Regulus Therapeutics (Nasdaq: RGLS).
    • Advised AstraZeneca in its:
      • up to $1.0 billion acquisition and license of Pfizer’s early-stage rare disease gene therapy portfolio;
      • $1.8 billion acquisition of CinCor Pharma (Nasdaq: CINC);
      • up to $1.265 billion acquisition of TeneoTwo;
      • $1.26 billion acquisition of Ardea Biosciences (Nasdaq: RDEA);
      • $600 million acquisition of Actavis’ branded respiratory business in the U.S. and Canada;
      • $575 million acquisition of Takeda’s respiratory business; and
      • divestitures of multiple pharmaceutical products, including its $325 million divestiture of Myalept® to Aegerion Pharmaceuticals.

    • Advised Insmed Incorporated in:
      • its acquisitions of Adrestia Therapeutics, Vertuis Bio, Motus Biosciences and AlgaeneX; and
      • public offerings of common stock and convertible senior notes having aggregate gross proceeds of over $4 billion.
    • Advised Aristocrat Leisure in its:
      • up to $820 million sale of Plarium Global to Modern Times Group;
      • $1.28 billion acquisition of Video Gaming Technologies; and
      • $990 million acquisition of Big Fish Games.
    • Advised Boehringer Ingelheim in:
      • a series of antitrust-driven divestitures of a portfolio of animal health products and its Fort Dodge manufacturing facility in connection with Boehringer's acquisition of Merial; and
      • its $300 million sale of Bedford Laboratories to Hikma Pharmaceuticals.
    • Advised Borrego Solar in the spin-off and sale of its development business to ECP.
    • Advised Eisai in its:
      • up to $185 million sale of U.S. rights to its Fycompa® epilepsy product to Catalyst Pharmaceuticals;
      • strategic manufacturing alliance with Biogen and subsequent sale of its Research Triangle Park manufacturing campus to Biogen;
      • $205 million acquisition of four oncology drugs from Ligand Pharmaceuticals; and
      • divestitures of multiple pharmaceutical products, including its divestiture of U.S. rights to Zonegran® to Concordia Pharmaceuticals, its divestiture of U.S. and Canada rights to Targretin® Gel and Targretin® Capsules to Valeant Pharmaceuticals.
    • Advised Elanco Animal Health in:
      • its $440 million acquisition of Kindred Biosciences (Nasdaq: KIN); and
      • a series of antitrust-driven divestitures of a portfolio of animal health products in connection with Elanco’s acquisition of Bayer Animal Health.
    • Advised Eli Lilly in its up to $1.4 billion sale of the rights to its olanzapine portfolio, including Zyprexa®, to Cheplapharm Arzneimittel GmbH.
    • Advised Emergent BioSolutions in its:
      • up to $735 million acquisition of Adapt Pharma and its product NARCAN; and
      • in its $270 million acquisition of PaxVax.
    • Advised Fusion Pharmaceuticals in its:
      • acquisition from RadioMedix of a Phase 2 clinical program evaluating 225Ac-PSMA I&T, a small molecule targeting prostate specific membrane antigen expressed on prostate cancers; and
      • acquisition of IPN-1087, a small molecule targeting NTSR1, from Ipsen.
    • Advised Humacyte, Inc. in its $800 million de-SPAC merger with Alpha Healthcare Acquisition Corp.
    • Advised Adit EdTech Acquisition Corp. in its de-SPAC merger with bitcoin miner GRIID Infrastructure.
    • Advised Encompass Health Corporation in multiple offerings of senior notes.
    • Advised ExxonMobil in structuring and forming the Marine Well Containment Company, a joint venture with Chevron, Shell and ConocoPhillips dedicated to developing and, if needed, deploying, a rapid response system to capture and contain oil in the event of a future deepwater well blowout in the Gulf of Mexico.
    • Advised The Procter & Gamble Company in its 50/50 joint venture with Inverness Medical Innovations, Inc. for the development, manufacturing, marketing and sale of existing and to-be-developed consumer diagnostic products in a transaction valued at $650 million.
    • Advised LIN Media in its:
      • issuance of $200 million of senior notes; and
      • acquisition of Red McCombs Media, an online advertising company.
    • Advised the D.C. Sports and Entertainment Commission in connection with stadium development and lease arrangements with Major League Baseball and the Washington Nationals.

    Areas of Expertise

  • Credentials
    Education
    • College of William and Mary, Marshall-Wythe School of Law, J.D., 2002
        • Order of the Coif 
        • William & Mary Law Review
    • Stetson University, B.A., 1999
        • cum laude 
    Bar Admissions
    • District of Columbia
    • Virginia
    Pro Bono
    • Advises multiple nonprofit organizations in the DC metropolitan area regarding governance, strategic planning, commercial and general corporate matters.
    • Advises a multinational nonprofit relief organization regarding corporate governance matters.
    Accolades
    • Named by The American Lawyer as one of the "Dealmakers of the Year" (2022)
    • Chambers USA, Corporate/M&A & Private Equity (2021-2025)
    • MergerLinks, Top Healthcare Lawyers in North America (2021)
    • Legal 500 US, Finance - Capital Markets and M&A/Corporate and Commercial (2017)
    • BTI Client Service All-Star, Corporate (2015)
    • Washington DC Super Lawyers "Rising Star" (2013-2017)
    Memberships and Affiliations
    • American Bar Association
    • The District of Columbia Bar
    • Virginia Bar Association

    Areas of Expertise

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