Eric Wu is a partner in Ropes & Gray's life sciences group and is a Senior Foreign Legal Consultant in the Hong Kong office. He advises clients on cross-border mergers and acquisitions, private equity and growth equity investments, capital markets transactions and general corporate matters involving investors and life sciences companies with business interests in China. Recently Eric has been counseling clients on these issues in the context of the COVID-19 outbreak.
Eric has advised on mid-market and large-cap transactions with regional and global biotechnology, pharmaceutical, medical device and consumer health care companies that are engaged in medical optics, allergy, dermatology and surgical robotics businesses, among others.
Eric rejoins Ropes & Gray from Johnson & Johnson, where he served as Asia Pacific M&A Regional Counsel and head of legal for the company’s Asia Pacific Innovation Center. Prior to joining Johnson & Johnson, he was a senior associate at Ropes & Gray and previously also worked in the Shanghai and Boston offices of other leading global law firms.
Experience
- Advised Shanghai-based biotechnology start-up LianBio, a company launched by life sciences investment firm Perceptive Advisors, in its formation, fundraising activities in the US and China (including its $310 million crossover financing), in-licensing of assets (from MyoKardia, QED and Navire) for development and commercialization in China and bespoke strategic platform collaborations with Pfizer and BridgeBio.
- Advised numerous life sciences and related companies in their mergers and acquisitions, financing and strategic transactions in China, including Johnson & Johnson, Takeda, Becton Dickinson, Mersana Therapeutics, TriArm Therapeutics, Tactiva Therapeutics, Profex, Viela Bio and Genetron Health.
- Advised Johnson & Johnson in its mergers and acquisitions, licensing, early and mid-stage investments and collaborations for its consumer, medical device and pharmaceuticals business across Asia Pacific, including its investment in, and collaboration with, Legend Biotech (LEGN), a Nasdaq-listed China based CAR-T biotech company, its US$2.1 billion tender offer to acquire Dr. Ci:Labo (4924 – CI:Z Holdings), a Japanese company in the dermocosmetic, cosmetic and skincare products, and its innovative collaboration with Taikang Online Insurance.
- Advised Perceptive Advisors, TPG, KKR, Bain, Temasek, Baring Private Equity, Panacea Venture, CDIB Capital Group, JJDC (venture arm of Johnson & Johnson), Kleiner Perkins, Vivo Capital, Essex Healthcare, Sequoia, Goldman Sachs and WI Harper, among others, in their respective investments and strategic transactions in China and the Asia Pacific region.