Patrick Duxbury

Patrick Duxbury helps clients to research, develop, manufacture and sell pharmaceutical, biotech and medical device products, using his extensive experience of structuring and executing transactions in the life sciences sector.

Patrick was a microbiologist and geneticist before re-qualifying as a lawyer in 1993 with first class honours. He now specialises in all aspects of transactional work in the life sciences sector. He has helped clients including Argenx, AstraZeneca (AZ), MedImmune, Astex Therapeutics, BioNTech, Crescendo Biologics, Epidarex, ERS Genomics, Eisai, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), Heptares Therapeutics, Immunocore, Oxford Biotherapeutics and SROne on significant M&A transactions, licensing and collaboration deals and fundraisings.

Thanks to his deep knowledge of the world in which he operates, Patrick delivers his clients a unique mix of regulatory, antitrust, IP, corporate and dispute resolution advice, helping many of the sector's key players.

Deal highlights include advising AstraZeneca on its landmark collaboration agreement for the development and distribution of the University of Oxford's potential COVID-19 vaccine, two separate $6 billion cancer drug collaboration agreements with Daiichi Sankyo Company Limited, an $8.5bn oncology deal with Merck, on AstraZeneca's $300 million disposal of the rights to cancer drug Caprelsa to Genzyme and its recent collaboration with Scorpion Therapeutics.

He has also recently advised Heptares Therapeutics Limited and Argenx BV, and Immunocore on several strategic license and collaboration transactions.

Patrick is a well-known speaker on topics relating to transactions in the life sciences sector. He teaches on the BIO Advanced Business Development Course in both the US and Europe.

Recognition

Patrick is ranked as the only 'Star Individual' for Life Sciences: Transactional in Chambers UK 2022 and is ranked as an IP Star in the 2022 edition of Managing Intellectual Property. In 2020 he won 'Financial & Corporate Lawyer of the Year: Licensing & Collaboration' in the LMG European Life Sciences Awards 2020 and achieved recognition by being ranked among the foremost patent practitioners in the IAM Global Leaders guide (the guide features those professionals who have been ranked in the gold tier of IAM Patent 1000).

Patrick is also ranked in the Who's Who Thought Leader for Life Sciences publication and received 'Life Sciences - Transactional Lawyer of the Year 2022' at the prestigious, international, Who's Who Legal Awards 2022. He has since been named in Who's Who Legal: Thought Leaders Global Elite 2022 for 'Life Sciences – Transactional', recognising him among the top 2% of all Who's Who Legal-recognised legal practitioners from around the world.

"Patrick Duxbury is known for his deft handling of complex technology transfer, research and collaboration agreements, indeed all manner of IP-driven transactions. A source says: 'He is a leading light and has made a considerable difference to the sector over may decades.' " Chambers UK 2020.

Patrick was recognised as a 'transactions star' in the UK in the 2020 'IP Stars' guide, produced by Managing Intellectual Property.

The Gowling WLG UK IP transaction team won the IP Transaction Team of the Year Award from MIP in 2018 and TMT team of the year at the British Legal Awards 2018 on the back of their work for AstraZeneca on its deal with Merck. It was also highly recommended in 2021 for its work on the AZ/University of Oxford COVID-19 vaccine deal.