David Burns

Cooley advised Sirius Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biotech company developing innovative small interfering RNA (siRNA) therapies for global markets, on its strategic partnership to develop and commercialize siRNA therapies with CRISPR Therapeutics (Nasdaq: CRSP), a biopharmaceutical company focused on creating transformative gene-based medicines for serious diseases.

Cooley advised Touchland, the fastest-growing brand in the hand sanitizer category in the US, on its acquisition by Church & Dwight (NYSE: CHD) for up to $880 million, including $700 million in cash and Church & Dwight restricted stock at closing, plus a payment of up to $180 million contingent on Touchland’s 2025 net sales.

Cooley advised Earendil Labs, an artificial intelligence-driven biotech company affiliated with Helixon Therapeutics, in connection with Earendil Labs’ license agreement with Sanofi for two potential first-in-class bispecific antibodies in the field of autoimmune and inflammatory bowel diseases.

Cooley advised Puhe BioPharma, a biotechnology company dedicated to the research and development of innovative small-molecule precision therapeutics, on its global license agreement with Bayer for Puhe BioPharma’s oral, small-molecule protein arginine methyltransferase 5 inhibitor that selectively targets metabolic enzyme 5’-deoxy-5’-methylthioadenosine phosphorylase-deleted tumors.

Cooley advised Jiangsu Hengrui Pharmaceuticals (Hengrui Pharma), a global pharmaceutical company focused on scientific and technological innovation, on its exclusive license agreement with Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside of the US and Canada, for HRS-5346, an investigational oral small molecule lipoprotein(a), or Lp(a), inhibitor currently being evaluated in a phase 2 clinical trial in China.