Fraser Brown

New York – June 8, 2023 – Cooley advised 2045, an exclusive membership network for influential      professionals of color, on its launch and $4.2 million pre-seed financing. Partner Jason Kent led the Cooley team advising 2045.

Benchstrength led the funding round, with AAF Management and Connecticut Innovations also participating. NBA New Orleans Pelicans player CJ McCollum also participated as an angel investor.

Porter Braswell, a former Goldman Sachs alumnus, founded 2045 to provide a platform and community to empower influential professionals of color to feel seen, heard and valued. The company fills the current market void while addressing the less than 1% of the $50 billion pledged by American companies to support Black communities – and diversity, equity and inclusion efforts – following the death of George Floyd in 2020 . 2045 will provide the necessary tools and programs to help corporations better support, retain and promote a diverse workforce.

A Cooley team advised Horizon Therapeutics, a specialty biopharmaceutical company, on its agreement to be acquired by Amgen. The approximately $28 billion merger would represent the third-largest all-cash transaction in the pharmaceutical sector in history and the biggest healthcare deal of 2022.

Cooley advised SuppreMol GmbH, a German developer of therapeutics for the treatment of autoimmune diseases and allergic diseases, in its sale to Baxter International for $230 million. 

Cooley advised the underwriters on Vascular Biogenics' initial public offering. Vascular Biogenics is an Israel-based clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company committed to the discovery, development and commercialization of first-in-class treatments for cancer and immune-inflammatory diseases. The company now trades on the Nasdaq Global Stock Market under the symbol "VBLT."

Deutsche Bank Securities acted as the sole book running manager for the offering. JMP Securities and Oppenheimer & Co. acted as co-managers for the offering.

Reston, Va. – Cooley advised the underwriters on T2 Biosystems' initial public offering. T2 Biosystems is an in vitro diagnostics company that has developed an innovative and proprietary technology platform that offers a rapid, sensitive and simple alternative to existing diagnostic methodologies. The company now trades on the Nasdaq Global Stock Market under the symbol "TTOO."

Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley acted as joint book running managers for the offering. Leerink Partners and Janney Montgomery Scott acted as co-managers for the offering.

Thus far in 2014, Cooley has advised on 75 public offerings, including 38 completed IPOs.