Jane Adams Featured in Q&A on Trends Shaping Life Sciences Dealmaking
Foley & Lardner LLP partner Jane Adams is highlighted in a recent Continuing Education of the Bar article discussing the complexities of life sciences transactions amid recent regulatory and technological developments.
Adams, who recently joined Foley & Lardner’s San Diego office, commented on current deal trends, stating, “Big Pharma’s appetite for acquisition of biopharmaceutical companies with programs either in the clinic – or poised for entry into the clinic at deal values exceeding $1 billion – has made M&A exits far more attractive to many earlier-stage companies.”
Regarding future trends, Adams said she hopes early-stage biotech companies, including startups, “will have a less difficult time raising private equity financing at acceptable valuations than has been the case in the last couple of years,” as VCs look to deploy cash following strong M&A exits in 2025 and 2026.
Discussing the regulatory impact of the U.S. administration’s most-favored-nation drug pricing policy, Adams highlighted that while much focus has been on commercial impacts, “the initiative also raises significant strategic issues for early-stage biotech companies with drug candidates in preclinical or clinical development.”
Additionally, she spoke to the influence of AI on life science transactions, explaining, “AI is changing transactional work by expanding diligence around technology, data, IP and reliability,” with particular impact “where AI is being used in R&D, diagnostics, therapeutics or clinical trial planning.”
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