Cross-Practice Team Advises Johnson & Johnson on Remicade Settlement Agreement with Merck

A team of Ropes & Gray attorneys advised Johnson & Johnson on its settlement agreement with Merck, announced on April 15, amending global distribution rights for two drugs used to treat chronic inflammatory diseases. The Ropes & Gray team included life sciences associate Andrea Brobeil; international partner Cary Armistead; securities & public companies partner Chris Comeau; antitrust merger control counsel Deidre Johnson; and corporate associate Tom Fraser. 

Johnson & Johnson had initiated the arbitration proceeding in May 2009, requesting a ruling related to the distribution of REMICADE® (infliximab) and SIMPONI® (golimumab) following the announcement of the proposed merger between Merck and Schering-Plough.
 
Ropes & Gray, a leading global law firm with more than 1,000 lawyers and professionals, has been recognized as having one of the world’s leading life sciences practices by Chambers, U.S. News and other publications. Collaborating with the firm’s other leading practices, including corporate, private equity, intellectual property and health care, Ropes & Gray’s lawyers are uniquely positioned to advise clients – from venture-backed start-ups to the world’s leading biotechnology, pharmaceutical and medical device companies – on their most critical business issues in every stage of their business development, including venture funding, patent rights management and litigation, transactions, FDA and other government regulatory issues and SEC compliance matters.