/ Life Sciences, Healthtech & Research Commercialisation

Legal counsel for science moving from research to market.

We advise life sciences, biotech, healthtech and research-led businesses on the legal structures that turn scientific work into commercial value.

From IP ownership and technology transfer to licensing, collaboration agreements, fundraising, data governance and cross-border commercialisation, we help innovators, investors and research-driven organisations build the legal foundation for growth.

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/ The opportunity

Scientific innovation needs more than good research. It needs the right legal structure.

Hong Kong’s life sciences and healthtech ecosystem is growing quickly, supported by research institutions, biotech startups, medical technology companies, investors and cross-border collaboration across the Greater Bay Area.

But as research moves towards commercial use, the legal questions become immediate: who owns the technology, who controls improvements, who may use the data, how revenue is shared, and whether the structure can support future investment, licensing or exit.

We help clients address these questions early, so the legal framework supports the science rather than becoming a constraint later.

/ Core legal questions

IP ownership

We help clients clarify ownership of patents, know-how, software, research outputs, improvements and commercial rights.

Technology transfer

We structure assignments, licences and collaboration arrangements between founders, companies, universities, research centres and commercial partners.

Commercialisation

We help turn research and technology into investable, licensable and scalable commercial assets.

Investment readiness

We prepare life sciences and healthtech companies for investor diligence, fundraising and strategic partnerships.

Data governance

We advise on health data, research data, consent, platform terms, AI-enabled tools and cross-border data sharing.

Cross-border growth

We support collaborations, licensing arrangements and commercial structures involving Hong Kong, mainland China and overseas markets.

/ Who we advise

From the lab bench to the cap table.

Biotech and life sciences startups

IP ownership, licensing, fundraising and commercial agreements for research-led companies.

Research centres and universities

Technology transfer, research collaboration, spin-out structures and commercialisation pathways.

Healthtech and digital health companies

Platform terms, data governance, AI-enabled tools and healthcare-facing technology arrangements.

Medtech and therapeutic-technology companies

Commercialisation strategy, collaboration agreements, manufacturing arrangements and regulatory-interface issues.

Investors and strategic partners

Legal diligence, investment terms and transaction structuring for life sciences and healthtech assets.

CROs, CDMOs and commercial partners

Research, manufacturing, supply, services and collaboration agreements across the development lifecycle.

/ How we help

Legal support across the life sciences commercialisation lifecycle.

IP ownership and technology transfer

The asset is the science. We help clients identify, protect and document ownership of patents, know-how, software, data, research outputs and improvements.

We advise on assignments, licences, technology-transfer arrangements and ownership structures between founders, companies, universities, research institutions and commercial partners.

Licensing and collaboration agreements

Many life sciences opportunities depend on the right collaboration structure.

We draft and negotiate in-licensing, out-licensing, research collaboration, sponsored research, evaluation, material transfer and commercialisation agreements. We focus on the terms that drive value: field of use, territory, exclusivity, milestones, royalties, sublicensing, improvement rights, publication rights, confidentiality and termination.

Spin-outs, fundraising and investment terms

We help research-led teams move from project to company.

Our work includes founder arrangements, cap tables, shareholders’ agreements, option pools, convertible instruments, investor rights and diligence preparation for venture, strategic and grant-backed funding.

Data, AI and digital health

Health and research data are often central to the value of a life sciences business.

We advise on data governance, consent, platform terms, AI-enabled healthcare tools, software-based medical technology and contractual controls around access, use, sharing and cross-border transfer of data.

Manufacturing, supply and scale-up

As technology moves towards deployment, the legal structure must support production and delivery.

We advise on CDMO arrangements, supply agreements, procurement terms, exclusivity, forecasting, quality responsibilities, liability allocation, acceptance criteria and termination rights.

Cross-border commercialisation and strategic transactions

Life sciences businesses often operate across Hong Kong, mainland China and overseas markets from an early stage.

We advise on cross-border licensing, joint development, distribution, strategic partnerships, group structuring, mergers and acquisitions, and exit planning.

/ On our radar

The next legal challenge is not just approval. It is commercialisation.

For many life sciences and healthtech companies, the difficult legal questions arise before formal market approval: whether the company owns what investors think it owns, whether research outputs can be commercialised, whether data can be used for the intended purpose, and whether collaboration terms leave enough room for future financing, licensing or exit.

We help clients build that foundation early.

/ FAQ

What clients ask us first.

Who owns IP created in a research collaboration?+

It depends on the contract, the source of the technology, the contribution of each party and whether the work was created by employees, consultants, university researchers or external collaborators. We help clients document ownership clearly, including background IP, project IP, improvements and rights to commercialise.

What should a biotech or healthtech startup prepare before fundraising?+

Investors will usually focus on ownership of core IP, founder arrangements, licences, employment and consultancy contracts, data rights, regulatory pathway, material collaborations and any restrictions on commercialisation. We help companies prepare these materials before diligence begins.

How should a life sciences licensing deal be structured?+

Key issues include the licensed technology, field of use, territory, exclusivity, sublicensing, development obligations, milestones, royalties, ownership of improvements, IP prosecution and enforcement, data access, confidentiality and termination. The right structure depends on the stage of the technology and the commercial objectives of the parties.

Do we need regulatory advice before commercialising a health technology?+

Often, yes. The question is not only whether a product has formal approval. Early legal work should identify whether the technology may be treated as a medical device, software as a medical device, health-AI tool, therapeutic product or research-use-only product, and how that affects contracts, claims, data use and go-to-market strategy.

Can research data or health data be used for commercial purposes?+

It depends on consent, the purpose for which the data was collected, the parties controlling the data, applicable privacy laws and any institutional or contractual restrictions. We advise on data-use rights, anonymisation, sharing arrangements and cross-border transfer issues.

How can legal documents preserve future exit value?+

Future buyers and investors want a clean chain of title, clear licences, assignable contracts, manageable consent rights and no hidden restrictions on use of the technology. We structure early agreements with future financing, licensing and exit in mind.