For some, Lloreda Camacho & Co. is ‘the firm with the highest level of specialisation in Colombia in health, pharmaceutical and consumer law issues’. The interdisciplinary life sciences team draws on experts in regulatory affairs, patents, compliance, data privacy and competition law, which equips it to provide life sciences companies with full-service advice that spans health regulations, labelling, marketing, data exclusivity protection and clinical studies, among other areas. Head of the patent and life sciences department, Ana María Castro, is widely recognised as a leader in the Latin American market, and one client testifies that ‘her vision not only encompasses the local, but also provides a regional and global perspective’. Among Castro’s key relationships, she manages patent portfolios for Gilead Sciences, Incyte Corp and F Hoffmann-La Roche. Administrative law partner Daniel Cardona specialises in advising domestic and multinational companies in the pharmaceutical and food sectors on health legislation; he recently acted alongside Castro to advise Takeda on the process of obtaining marketing authorisation for its Qdenga vaccine. Rounding out the names at partner level is regulatory specialist Enrique Álvarez, who co-heads the life sciences practice and is noted for his strength across a wide range of fields, including consumer law and regulatory affairs. Maria Alejandra De Los Ríos, who serves as associate director of the data protection and commercial contracts practices, also supports the life sciences unit.

The life sciences practice at premier IP firm, OlarteMoure, is ‘among the best in LatAm’, according to sources. Certainly, its cross-border credentials are evidenced by the fact that several of its major multinational pharmaceutical clients use its patent services in up to 18 countries across the region. Alongside its strength in patents, the group also shines in regulatory work, where it advises on domestic, US, EU and wider Latin American regulations concerning local incorporations, marketing authorisation (MA) approvals and pricing issues, among other matters. Co-founding partner, Carlos Olarte, is also a biomedical and mechanical engineer and leverages over three decades of experience in patent drafting and portfolio management, with a focus on the biopharmaceutical and telecoms sectors. Olarte is additionally a key contact for life sciences regulation and recently paired up with next-generation life sciences specialist, Alexander Agudelo, to advise Vertex Pharmaceuticals on regulatory compliance, market access and distribution contracts, among other issues. The team further benefits from the experience of two newly promoted (October 2023) partners: patent head Mónica Guevara is noted for her experience across the full life cycle of patent law, while compliance director Catalina Jimenez Abadía specialises in advising multinational life science companies on compliance and risk mitigation concerning transnational anti-corruption legislation. Key non-partners include seasoned of counsel, Ana Frieri, and patent litigation director Liliana Galindo.

Baker McKenzie S.A.S.’s life sciences group is distinguished by ‘its ability to propose practical solutions from a business perspective’, according to some. As part of the wider international firm’s global healthcare and life sciences practice, the team additionally stands out for its close institutional relationships with major multinational clients in the pharmaceutical, biotech, cosmetics, healthcare, and food and drink industries. IP specialist Juan Pablo Concha Delgado heads the department and handles a mix of regulatory, transactional support and contentious work. The practice is further supported by a sizeable band of associates, which includes intermediate Andrés Hidalgo, who leads the pharmaceuticals and healthcare team; and intermediate Sara Merizalde, who specialises in healthcare and IP.

The ‘high-performing and results-oriented’ life sciences practice at Cavelier stands out for its dominant patent offering, while it also brings to bear strong skill sets in regulatory affairs and healthcare compliance matters. Supported by a sizeable 28-strong group of non-lawyers — including chemists, biologists and engineers — the department acts for clients in the pharmaceutical, medical devices, cosmetics, medical cannabis, and the food and beverage sectors, among others. Andrés Rincón heads the patents and life sciences unit and is held up by sources as ‘an expert in IP and regulatory law’. The team additionally draws on senior associates Carolina Vargas, who is a qualified chemist and lawyer, and Eliana Portilla; both specialise in patents and life sciences law.

Held up by some as a ‘strategic ally’, CMS Rodríguez-Azuero’s life sciences team is strongly weighted towards regulatory work, where it represents a growing roster of domestic and multinational corporations on market approvals, packaging and customs-related issues, among other compliance matters. The full-spectrum group also stands out for its ability to act in tandem with the wider firm’s IP practice to provide patent-related advice. Department head Karl Mutter is a life sciences specialist, who is recommended for his ‘practical sense and commercial and corporate instinct’. Associate director Luz Helena Vargas is an increasingly prominent name for sanitary regulations, with strong skill sets in market approvals, labelling and advertising matters.

Valued by some for its ‘collaboration and regulatory knowledge’, Gómez-Pinzón Abogados (GPA)’s life sciences offering straddles its intellectual property and its regulatory affairs practices. In particular, the group specialises in representing clients from the pharmaceutical, healthcare, and food and drink industries on regulatory filings with authorities, health legislation and drug pricing strategy, while it also handles patent-related matters. As a former in-house legal adviser for Laboratorios Biogen de Colombia, department co-head and senior associate Andrea Pieschacón brings significant hands-on experience to her role. All-round regulatory partner Mauricio Jaramillo co-heads the team; his broad practice focus encompasses IP, competition, TMT, and data protection law.

Dentons Cardenas & Cardenas’ life sciences team receives praise from clients for its ‘highly structured and specialised approach’. The growing practice added seven new clients during 2023/24, including Biomea Fusion, while in September 2023 it hired ‘very agile’ new partner Mónica Bonnett, who was previously a senior associate at Posse Herrera Ruiz. Combining strength in IP, corporate support and regulatory matters, the team has recently undertaken work for a mix of technology, healthcare, pharmaceutical and cannabis companies, among others. Other key contacts include IP and technology specialists Luz Helena Adarve and Juanita Acosta; and senior associate María Elisa Quintero, who has a focus on sanitary regulations and IP.

Posse Herrera Ruiz’s multidisciplinary life sciences practice draws on its IP, regulatory and transactional lawyers to handle a broad mix of patent, corporate support and regulatory compliance matters. The group advises domestic and multinational companies from across the industry, with notable experience in the pharmaceutical, agro-industrial, chemicals, and food-and-drink sectors. IP head Helena Camargo fronts the practice and provides ‘the best solutions’, according to some. Carmargo is particularly noted for her experience in international patent and health registration searches and registrations. Former practice co-head and senior associate, Mónica Bonnett, left the firm in September 2023.

As a specialist IP firm, Brigard Castro frequently advises life sciences clients on IP issues, including complex patent matters. On the regulatory side, the team is noted for its experience in representing healthcare entities on regulatory compliance and related administrative law disputes. The team is also well versed in advising corporations in the pharmaceutical, healthcare and food and beverage industries — among others — on transactional work, where it can link up with associated full-service firm, Brigard Urrutia. Managing partner Juan Pablo Cadena fronts a group that also draws on trade mark specialist Martín Torres and senior associate Laura Ángel Jaramillo.

Philippi Prietocarrizosa Ferrero DU & Uría’s life sciences team is primarily focused on IP-related matters, with its recent work spanning patent prosecution, IP portfolio management and consumer protection law. The team also possesses a significant regulatory offering, where it advises life sciences clients on sanitary regulations, health registrations and advertising law, among other issues. The department is co-led by Mauricio Patiño, whose broad practice takes in IP, life sciences, competition, TMT and dispute resolution; Gerardo Flórez, who specialises in IP, regulatory and advertising law; and litigator Camilo Suárez, who serves as director of the IP and life sciences group.