Life Sciences Industry Group_TopWebsiteBanner

Life Sciences

  • Overview
  • Who To Contact
  • Representative Matters
  • Recent Developments

Canada’s life sciences sector is fast-moving and globally driven, shaped by scientific breakthroughs, shifting regulations and rising demand for innovation. The Aird & Berlis and Aird & McBurney Life Sciences Group blends legal expertise with scientific insight to help startups, scaleups and industry leaders protect their ideas, attract investment and drive sustainable growth.

Our team’s specialized knowledge and experience equip us with a deep understanding of the legal and intellectual property considerations that are unique to clients operating in this space. Many of our multidisciplinary professionals hold doctoral, master’s and engineering degrees in biochemistry, pharmacology, chemistry, biology, medical sciences, infection and immunity, physics, math and related fields.

We provide clients with counsel on the issues facing life sciences businesses, including regulations, mergers and acquisitions, financing, capital markets, licencing, commercial agreements, intellectual property, labour and employment, privacy, confidentiality, litigation and dispute resolution, and tax in Canada.

We support our clients in developing global intellectual property strategies, including the drafting, filing and defence of patent applications. Our team also brings extensive knowledge and experience to address ever-evolving technological advancements that demand a combination of life sciences expertise and proficiency in AI and other computer-related fields.

Our team represents a wide range of clients, including life science, pharmaceutical, health science, veterinary, agricultural, food and beverage, cosmetic, natural health product, medical device, technology and biotechnology companies, as well as hospitals, universities and research institutions.

We bring extensive capital markets expertise that spans both domestic and cross-border matters. We help clients accelerate growth through financing and go-public transactions, including initial public offerings, reverse takeovers and qualifying transactions, as well as listings on the Canadian Securities Exchange, TSX, TSXV and Cboe Canada Exchange. We also draw from our comprehensive legal, intellectual property and regulatory knowledge to advise companies, investors, lenders and other market participants pursuing opportunities in the life sciences sector.

Our core services include:
  • Pharmaceuticals: We help clients succeed in Canada’s highly regulated and fast-changing pharmaceutical sector, including inventors, developers, hospitals, universities, research institutions and Fortune 100 companies. Our lawyers and patent agents have extensive experience in pharmaceutical patent prosecution, portfolio management and litigation, including infringement and validity actions, and proceedings under the Patented Medicines (Notice of Compliance) Regulations.
  • Medical Devices: We support medical device companies throughout the product lifecycle, working with inventors, manufacturers, developers, licensors, distributors, hospitals, investors and other stakeholders. Our work spans imaging and image-guided therapies, diagnostics, minimally invasive technologies, targeted drug delivery systems, surgical tools, assays, wound dressings, prosthetics and digital health and AI. We regularly advise on Health Canada product regulations and licensing requirements related to manufacturing and market access. We also provide guidance on intellectual property strategy and portfolio development, as well as the assertion and defence of intellectual property rights.
  • Psychedelics: Aird & Berlis and Aird & McBurney are recognized leaders in the psychedelics industry, advising private and public companies focused on pharmaceutical development, nutraceuticals and clinical operations. We remain at the forefront of the legal, intellectual property, regulatory and investment shifts taking place in Canada, the United States and globally, continuing the leadership we established during the rise of Canada’s cannabis industry. Our team guides clients through international and domestic regulations, including the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, Criminal Code, Health Canada Act and Food and Drugs Act. As a full-service firm, we collaborate across practice areas to meet the full range of legal and patent needs in this space.
  • Food and Beverage Products: We advise food and beverage companies on all aspects of their operations, with a focus on regulatory compliance and food safety. We assist with matters involving the Canadian Food and Drugs Act and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, including import and export requirements, licencing, inspections and product recalls. We also advise on intellectual property strategy and portfolio development, as well as the assertion and defence of intellectual property rights.
  • Other Notable Areas: Our life sciences expertise also includes agriculture and plant science, biology, biotechnology, biochemistry, chemistry, diagnostics, genomics, green technologies, immunology, nanotechnology, therapeutics, veterinary and virology.
The Aird & Berlis and Aird & McBurney Life Sciences Group helps clients transform scientific breakthroughs into business growth through our deep scientific insight, agility to respond to rapid change and clear view of the commercial landscape. This forward-thinking approach reflects our commitment to supporting clients in this emerging and evolving sector.

Contacts

Group Members

Representative Matters

View more representative matters

Recent Developments

Related Areas of Expertise

Industries