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Ben Ellington is an associate in the corporate department. Prior to joining the firm, Ben was a postdoctoral researcher at a joint National Institute of Standards and Technology and University of Maryland facility, where his research focused on protein engineering and next-generation proteomics.
Ben obtained his Ph.D. in biological chemistry from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, where his work in mechanistic enzymology helped to elucidate how a cyanobacterial enzyme converted fatty acid derivatives into drop-in biofuels. Additionally, his undergraduate research and subsequent internship at Abbott Pharmaceuticals afforded Ben valuable experience in synthetic organic chemistry.
During his time at Ropes & Gray, Ben has worked on various matters, including:
- Conducted patentability and freedom-to-operate analyses of a biotechnology company’s pharmaceutical patent portfolios.
- Analyzed patent portfolio for a leading biotechnology company in support of its follow-on offering.
- Conducted patentability and freedom-to-operate analyses of target biotechnology companies for Investors.
- Analyzed patent infringement and validity for a leading medical device company.
Experience
- Advised Madrigal Pharmaceuticals in an exclusive global license agreement with Pfizer for ervogastat, a Phase 2 oral therapy that could be combined to enhance the clinical effects of Rezdiffra for treatment of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis.
- Advised Blackstone Life Sciences in a strategic funding agreement with Teva Pharmaceuticals to support the clinical development of duvakitug for ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease.
- Represented an emerging biotechnology company in the in-licensing of certain proprietary vectors for targeted delivery of its therapeutic antibodies to the CNS.
- Advised Akebia Therapeutics in its acquisition of Q32 Bio’s Phase 2 complement inhibitor ADX-097, which has potential across kidney, autoimmune, vascular, and skin diseases.
- Advised Novo Nordisk in its collaboration with Replicate Bioscience to develop treatments for obesity, type 2 diabetes, and other cardiometabolic diseases using Replicate’s novel self-replicating RNA platform.
- Represented an emerging biotechnology in the out-licensing of certain drug discovery platforms to a global biopharmaceutical company relating to the identification and development of novel small molecules to exert allosteric effects on biological targets of interest.
- Advised Gero PTE. LTD. in a joint research and license agreement with Chugai Pharmaceutical Co, Ltd., for the development of novel antibody therapies for age-associated diseases.
- Advised Blackstone Life Sciences in a strategic financing collaboration for up to $570 million in funding with Axsome Therapeutic, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company focused on innovative treatment of central nervous system conditions.
- Represented FairJourney Biologics S.A. in its acquisition of the South San Francisco site from Charles River Laboratories International, Inc., to expand its business in the discovery and optimization of antibodies.
- Advised DirecTV in its negotiations with EchoStar under which DirecTV would have acquired EchoStar’s video distribution business DISH, including DISH TV and Sling TV, through a debt exchange transaction, which agreement was later terminated.
- Advised Johnson & Johnson in its agreement to acquire V-Wave Ltd., including V-Wave’s novel and minimally invasive Ventura Interatrial Shunt, an implantable device designed to decrease elevated left atrial pressure seen in congestive heart failure, to reduce cardiovascular events and heart failure hospitalizations.
- Assisted in advising Bain Capital Life Sciences and RA Capital Management in their follow-on investment in Nimbus Therapeutics, a clinical-stage computational drug discovery company backed by Atlas Venture, Bain Capital, RA Capital Management, Pfizer Ventures, and Google Ventures, among others.
- Assisted in representing Blackstone Inc. in a strategic financing collaboration for up to $1 billion in funding with PTC Therapeutics, a global biopharmaceutical company focused on medicine development and commercialization for patients with rare disorders, including genetic disorders and Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
- Assisted in advising global private markets firm Partners Group on its acquisition of European pharmaceutical company Pharmathen, a CDMO specialized in advanced drug delivery technologies for generic pharmaceutical products, from international investment firm BC Partners on behalf of its clients.
- Assisted in advising private equity firm Avista Capital Partners on its acquisition of the extended topicals and dermatology business unit of G&W Laboratories, Inc.