Leveraging its lawyers’ experience as government officials in regulatory and policy agencies, Hogan Lovells International LLP's Greater China life sciences practice is consistently sought out to for complex regulatory issues. The team advises at all stages of life sciences products, from initial clinical trials to off-patent strategy, business development and defence-side litigation The team also advises on new technology-driven areas, such as digital health, AI, gene therapy and regenerative medicine. On the mainland, Lu Zhou advises life sciences and healthcare clients on cross-border transactions; and Calvin Ding represents companies (and their board committees) in relation to corruption, conflicts of interest, trade compliance and cybersecurity incidents. Jessie Xie's practice covers regulatory work and commercial contracts in the pharmaceutical, medical devices, healthcare, food, and cosmetics sectors.

Baker McKenzie FenXun‘s Greater China healthcare and life sciences group comprises lawyers who are medical practitioners, as well as lawyers who hold PhDs in molecular biology, biotechnology, pharmacology and bioethics. The practice, which additionally fields non-lawyer medical experts, acts for large pharmaceutical, medical device, healthcare and life sciences companies on both inbound and outbound work, including transactional, regulatory and compliance matters. At the firm’s joint operation partner, FenXun Partners, Vivian Wu leads the firm’s investigations, compliance and ethics team in Beijing, where Yilan Yang specialises in the healthcare and cosmetics sectors. Over in Hong Kong, Isabella Liu, Derek Poon, Grace Tso and Mini vandePol are the names to note.

CMS has ‘excellent industry and legal knowledge of the life sciences and healthcare sectors across the region’. The practice covers corporate matters, IP, commercial law, regulatory, compliance, taxation and transfer pricing, as well as antitrust, fraud, anti-corruption, dispute resolution, and international arbitration. Beijing office head Jonathan Chu also leads the firm’s IP practice in Beijing and Hong Kong, including the life sciences and healthcare sector group; and Nicolas Zhu  in Shanghai acts for life sciences clients on corporate and IP matters. Over in Beijing, Roxie Meng advises on life sciences and healthcare-related due diligence, compliance, employment, disputes and competition; while Laila Lu is another Shanghai contact to note. Former Beijing and Hong Kong managing partner Nicholas Beckett departed the firm in April 2024.

Cooley LLP has longstanding experience in advising life sciences companies and investors on venture capital financings, capital markets and licensing. The team was also recently active in Chinese biotech companies’ cross-border M&A, as well as companies looking to list on the US and Hong Kong stock exchanges. In Shanghai, Yiming Liu acts for companies throughout their life cycles, from private financings, strategic M&A and IPO exits, to follow-on offerings and cross-border licensing and collaboration transactions; and Ruomu Li also assists with life sciences-related deals. Working across the firm’s Singapore and Shanghai offices, Patrick Loofbourrow regularly acts for life sciences and healthcare clients on major transactions.

Morrison Foerster covers the pharmaceuticals, biologics, diagnostics, personalised medicine, medical devices, medicinal chemicals, and vaccines sectors. The firm is also lauded for its specialisms in IP protection, licensing, pharmacovigilance, and clinical and commercial supply agreements. Other key areas are US-China investigations, drug and device safety, cybersecurity, corruption, compliance, and cross-border transactions. The practice is co-led by managing partner of the Beijing and Shanghai offices, Chuan Sun, who acts for major life sciences clients, including healthcare private equity firms; and Hong Kong-based Gordon Milner, an expert in pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry-related technology projects. Beijing-based Sarah Wang advises on corporate commercial and technology transactions in the life sciences sector; while Chen Zhu and Tyler Xiu are other names in Hong Kong to note.

Ropes & Gray LLP routinely acts for global biopharmaceutical and medical device companies, as well as a large proportion of private equity investors. The practice houses experts in licensing, IP, disputes, China regulatory issues, M&A, and capital markets, as well as venture capital investments, equity financings, securities and public company matters. Other notable areas are human genetic regulation, data privacy and research compliance. Dividing his time between Shanghai and New York, Arthur Mok acts for biotechs, multinational pharmaceutical companies and investment sponsors on Greater China matters; and the track record of Eric Wu, who works across the firm’s Hong Kong and Shanghai offices, includes advising biotechnology, pharmaceutical, medical device and consumer healthcare companies, as well as venture capital, private equity and hedge funds.

Sidley Austin LLP's lawyers ‘give clients very practical advice’. The practice has a significant market reputation for life sciences regulatory work; and it is home to specialists in licensing-related deals, series financings, M&A, IPOs, and fundraising. The practice additionally assists multinational pharmaceutical and healthcare companies with both government and internal investigations. Chen Yang in Beijing routinely acts for international pharmaceutical, medical device, agricultural, food, and cosmetics companies. Working across the Beijing and Hong Kong offices, Lei Li advises on product registration, clinical trials, distribution, licensing, co-marketing, M&A and spin-offs; and Ruchun Ji acts for emerging and innovative life sciences sector companies throughout their life cycles. Based in Hong Kong and Singapore, Yuet Ming Tham is the firm’s Asia-Pacific compliance and investigations practice head.

The result of a May 2024 merger between Allen & Overy LLP and Shearman & Sterling, A&O Shearman acts for pharmaceutical, healthcare, biotech and growth-stage companies. In addition to advising on a range of transactions, including M&A, equity capital markets, licensing and collaborations, it has notable expertise in IP, dispute resolution and corporate investigations. In Shanghai, Jill Ge's assists with a broad array of IP litigation and transactions in China; and Jack Wang focuses on the pharmaceutical and medical devices industries.

Bird & Bird's international life sciences regulatory team advises on clinical trials, advertising, litigation, classification of medical devices, advanced therapy medicinal products, and marketing authorisations. The team is also well known for high-value litigation involving pharmaceutical and life science patents. Alison Wong heads up the firm’s Asia-Pacific life sciences and healthcare sector group from Hong Kong; while the workload of James Gong in Beijing encompasses compliance, privacy and cybersecurity issues.

DLA Piper's life sciences team comprises approximately 30 corporate, IP, regulatory, compliance, investigations, capital markets, employment and tax lawyers. In Shanghai, China patent practice head Ting Xiao advises on high-profile life sciences, IP and regulatory matters; and Qiang Li advises Chinese life sciences companies on transactional work. Over in Hong Kong, Sammy Fang is a compliance and investigations specialist, while Christine Liu focuses on life sciences-related corporate investigations and compliance.

Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP’s China life sciences team covers research, development, regulatory approvals, marketing, fraud, product liability, and IP litigation. It also assists with licensing, transactions, outsourcing, and investigations. Working across Beijing and Hong Kong, Ning Zhang is a cross-border transactions expert; Beijing and Tokyo-based Lesli Ligorner advises life sciences companies on labour and employment matters; Maurice Hoo heads the corporate, M&A and private equity practice in Hong Kong; and Todd Liao, who works across Shanghai and Boston, advises life science sector clients on a range of issues.

O'Melveny is well known for bringing Chinese life sciences and biotech companies to the public markets in Hong Kong and the US. The China life sciences and healthcare practice also covers IP and licensing matters, along with M&A, private equity, and venture capital transactions. The lead partner for the China capital markets team, Ke Geng in Beijing advises on pharmaceutical, biotech and life sciences-related IPOs and equity financings in China. Ke Zhu is a capital markets specialist in Hong Kong.

Paul Hastings LLP's ‘very effective team’ fields experts in life sciences industry-related compliance and enforcement issues, including compliance reviews to reduce anti-corruption risks in politically-charged jurisdictions. The team also acts on commercial transactions in the life sciences and healthcare sectors. The group is co-led jointly by Shanghai-based life sciences investigation specialist Phoebe Yan; and Asia head of investigations and white-collar defence, Shaun Wu, who splits his time between Hong Kong and Shanghai.

Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati advises life science clients on early-stage financings, capital markets, IP matters and technology transactions. Shanghai-based Jie Zhu advises on major transactions, and Richard Wang is a key patents and innovations practice member. Since publication, former practice head Dan Ouyang departed following the closure of its Beijing office.