Ajita Shukla
Biography
Overview
Ajita Shukla is counsel in the Washington D.C. office and a member of the White & Case's Global Mergers & Acquisitions and Global Technology Transactions Practices. Her practice focuses on transactional work for the life sciences industry involving pharmaceutical, biotech and medical device products and services, for large multi-national pharmaceutical companies, biotech start-ups and individual inventors. Ajita is Co-Chair of White & Case's Asian Affinity Network. She is also a member of the firm's Global Pharmaceuticals & Healthcare Industry Group and the Firm's India Practice Group.
Ms. Shukla has represented clients in a wide range of industries and technologies including, pharmaceutical, medical device, electrical and computer, entertainment, consumer goods and fashion. She has advised clients regarding intellectual property-related aspects of various transactions including those involving: intellectual property licensing, software licensing, collaboration agreements, development agreements, sales and e-commerce, brand protection, music royalties and right of publicity licensing. As a complement to her transactional work, Ms. Shukla has extensive experience litigating complex intellectual property disputes in federal courts, the International Court of Arbitration, the International Trade Commission and the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board.
Prior to earning her law degree, Ms. Shukla worked as a scientist in the pharmaceutical industry.
Experience
Representative matters include:
Elanco Animal Health Incorporated, on its US$1.3 billion sale of its aqua business to Merck Animal Health.
Merck KGaA on its $600 million acquisition of life science company Mirus Bio.
Alstom, a global leader in smart and sustainable mobility, in connection with its entry into a binding agreement to sell its North American conventional rail signaling business to Knorr-Bremse AG, the world's leading manufacturer of braking systems, for approximately €630 million.
Biosynex S.A., a French biotechnology société anonyme, on its US$17.2 million acquisition of Chembio Diagnostics, Inc., a U.S. biotechnology corporation.
Green Cross Holdings Corporation (KOSPI: 005250), the holding company for GC Group in South Korea with major operating companies across healthcare sectors, in its US$73 million pending acquisition of 100 percent of the shares of BioCentriq, Inc., a pioneering US-based contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) that designs and develops scalable cell and gene technologies.
Javo Beverage Company, Inc., a leading natural extractor of clean label coffee, tea, and botanicals with a focus on beverage application, in its acquisition by Florida Food Products, LLC, one of the world's largest independent providers of natural ingredients.
Apollomics, Inc., a late-stage clinical biopharmaceutical company, on its US$899 million definitive agreement for a business combination with Maxpro Capital Acquisition Corp.
Kite, a Gilead Company, in its global strategic collaboration to co-develop and co-commercialize Arcellx, Inc.'s lead late-stage product candidates, CART-ddBCMA
Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc. and ZimVie Inc. on Zimmer Biomet's spinoff of ZimVie
Advanz Pharma on its acquisition of the majority of Intercept Pharmaceuticals, Inc.'s subsidiaries and operations in Europe, Canada, and all other non-U.S. markets
Lotte Corporation in connection with its establishment Lotte Biologics and $160 million acquisition of biologic assets in Syracuse, New York from Bristol Myers Squibb
Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Ltd, in a series of global agreements to divest portfolios of select over-the-counter and prescription pharmaceutical products
- Hasten Biopharmaceutic Co. Ltd. for approximately US$322 million;
- Cheplapharm for approximately US$562 million;
- Celltrion for up to $278 million;
- Orifarm Group for approximately $670 million;
- Hypera Pharma for a total value of US$825 million;
- STADA Arzneimittel AG for a total value of $660 million; and
- Acino for a total value in excess of $200 million.
Helix Acquisition Corp. (NASDAQ: HLXA), a SPAC, in its US$230 million business combination with MoonLake Immunotherapeutics AG, a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on creating next-level therapies for inflammatory skin and joint diseases
Olink Proteomics, in collaboration and supply agreements related to their Proximity Extension Assay technology
Angelini on its worldwide acquisition, outside North America, of ThermaCare from GlaxoSmithKline
Lantheus Holdings, Inc., in the acquisition of Progenics Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Panasonic Corporation, in the sale of certain semiconductor patent portfolios
Anthem, Inc. in the acquisition of Aspire Health, Inc., the nation's largest non-hospice, community-based palliative care provider
Gemini Therapeutics, Inc., in license and development agreements related to recombinant protein and monoclonal antibody technologies
Gilead Sciences, Inc., in certain outsourcing services agreements
Neurogastrx, Inc., in certain service agreements regarding laboratory and analytical services
Anthem, Inc., in the acquisition of America's 1st Choice, a privately – held for – profit Medicare Advantage organization that offers HMO products in Florida and South Carolina
Kuanping Capital, in its potential investments related to autoimmune therapies
Anthem Inc., in the acquisition of HealthSun, an integrated Medicare Advantage health plans and healthcare delivery network
Zimmer Biomet, in the acquisition of LDR Holding Corporation
Novartis Pharma AG, in various licensing, distribution, supply and commercialization agreements
Pfizer Inc., in a joint venture for sale of biosimilars in Brazil
Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC, in its acquisition of the US-based generic drugs businesses, Roxane Laboratories and Boehringer Ingelheim Roxane, from German drug maker Boehringer Ingelheim
