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Our Life Sciences & Healthcare expertise

NKF’s Life Sciences team combines deep sector expertise with full-service legal capabilities, advising clients across pharma, biotech, medtech, and healthcare. We support multinational corporations, high-growth innovators, investors, universities, and research institutions with tailored legal solutions that integrate regulatory insight, corporate strategy, and scientific understanding.

We help clients navigate complex regulatory and compliance frameworks, execute strategic transactions such as M&A, financing, and IPOs, and bring innovative products and services to the Swiss market. We also advise healthcare providers on establishing and expanding medical practices and developing telemedicine services. By combining industry specific regulatory and compliance know-how with IP and TMT expertise, we provide practical, industry-focused solutions across the full spectrum of business and innovation challenges.

Our team combines expertise in Regulatory/Compliance, IP/IT (Technology), Data Privacy, Corporate/M&A, Capital Markets and Competition/Antitrust. Many of our lawyers have worked in the industry, giving us the unique ability to understand and address the technical, regulatory, and commercial realities of the life sciences and healthcare industry.

Our Highlights:

  • Swiss counsel to A.P. Møller Holding A/S on the acquisition of Unilabs, a leading diagnostics and laboratory services provider operating in Switzerland and Europe, from funds advised by Apax Partners LLP
  • Advisor to International Chemical Investors Group (ICIG) on the sale of CordenPharma to European private equity firm Astorg
  • Swiss counsel to Boston Scientific Corporation on its USD 435 million acquisition of Symetis SA, a Swiss developer of innovative minimally invasive heart valve replacement devices.
  • Swiss legal advisor to the shareholders of Bahnhof Apotheke Langnau AG on the sale of 100% of shares to Galenica, a leading fully integrated healthcare provider in Switzerland, with the acquisition strengthening Galenica’s medicinal cannabis treatment offerings.
  • Swiss legal advisor to Affidea on its acquisition of Uroviva Group, significantly expanding its outpatient healthcare presence in Switzerland
  • Advisor to Chr. Hansen Holding A/S, a leading global bioscience company listed on OMX, on its agreement with Lonza AG, a leading pharma contract manufacturing company listed on SIX, to establish a 50/50 joint venture to pioneer the live biotherapeutic products (LBPs) industry and position themselves as the leading contract development and manufacturing partner (CDMO) for biotech and pharma customers
  • Advisor to Medacta Group SA, an international orthopaedics company specialising in the design and production of innovative orthopaedic products and the development of accompanying surgical techniques, in connection with the launch of its IPO
  • Advisor to the banking syndicate in connection with the initial public offering of VectivBio Holding AG and the listing of its shares on Nasdaq, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing treatments for severe rare diseases.
  • Counsel to the arrangers on the CHF 4.2bn financing for Bain and Cinven’s acquisition of Lonza’s Specialty Ingredients business and operations, covering biologics and pharmaceutical excipient manufacturing

Deals & Cases

02.04.2026

SHL Medical AG secures refinancing

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19.02.2026

CVC acquires Animal Nutrition & Health (ANH) from dsm-firmenich

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29.01.2026

medermis clinics continues its growth with the acquisition of Dermazentrum Schaffhausen AG

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Awards & Rankings

25.03.2026

NKF ranked top-tier firm in seven practice areas by The Legal 500 2026

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19.03.2026

NKF ranked multiple times band 1 by Chambers Europe 2026

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06.02.2024

Nineteen NKF lawyers listed as “Thought Leaders Switzerland 2023” by Who’s Who Legal

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Firm News

05.09.2023

NKF represented with three lawyers in the AIJA Committee

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02.03.2020

NKF expands Life Sciences practice with Janine Reudt-Demont as new Counsel

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Newsletters & Alerts

30.03.2020

Coronavirus COVID-19: News and Measures concerning the Life Science Industry

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Publications

10.06.2025

Medizinprodukte für den Veterinärbereich

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11.02.2025

Defective medical devices: the ‘defence of regulatory compliance’ under Swiss law – does…

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01.03.2024

Produktehaftpflichtprozess: Die «Defence of Regulatory Compliance»

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Speaking Engagements

27.11.2025

The moving boundaries of arbitrability in the Life Sciences sector: is there any room for ADR in produ…

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04.10.2025

Online influencers, digital media, and pharmaceutical advertisement

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10.09.2025

Haftung 4.0 – Medizinprodukte zwischen Innovation, Regulierung und Risiko

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