Christian Plaza

Christian Plaza is co-chair of Cooley’s global life sciences industry practice. For over 25 years, he has worked with leading life sciences clients on a variety of transformative business transactions, with an emphasis on public and private offerings, venture capital transactions, mergers and acquisitions, strategic partnerships and collaborations. Based in our Reston office, Christian regularly assists clients throughout the United States and Europe. He previously served as Partner in Charge of Cooley’s Boston office, and head of that office’s business practice.

Christian routinely serves as outside corporate counsel to public and private biotechnology, medtech, medical device, diagnostics and healthcare services companies. He also regularly represents a number of leading life sciences venture capital firms and investors, and is a frequent lecturer on the corporate issues faced by life sciences companies and investors.

Christian’s recent representative transactions include:

• Artios Therapeutics, Ltd. in multiple private financings
• Atsena Therapeutics in its spin-out from the University of Florida and subsequent private financings
• Autolus Therapeutics in its IPO and multiple follow-on offerings
• Cardioxyl Pharmaceuticals in its $2 billion sale to Bristol-Myers Squibb
• Cavion in its private financings and subsequent sale to Jazz Pharmaceuticals worth up to $312.5 million
• CiVi Biopharma in multiple private financings
• DioGenix in its sale to Amarantus Bioscience Holdings
• Entasis Therapeutics in its IPO and previous spin-out from AstraZeneca, Series A financing and Series B financing
• Envisia Therapeutics in its sale to Aerie Pharmaceuticals
• Frazier Healthcare Partners in venture investments
• GlycoMimetics in its IPO and subsequent follow-on offerings
• HIG Bioventures in multiple venture investments
• Nextech Invest in multiple venture investments
• PhaseBio in its private financings, IPO and subsequent follow-on offerings
• Prasco in its acquisition of Adderall XR from Teva Pharmaceuticals
• Senseonics in its IPO and subsequent follow-on offerings
• Sucampo in its $200 million acquisition of Vtesse, $278 million acquisition of R-Tech Ueno and  $1.2 billion sale to Mallinckrodt
• Scioderm in its $947 million sale to Amicus Therapeutics
• SOTIO in its acquisition of assets from Unum Therapeutics
• Symbiomix Therapeutics in its private financings and subsequent sale to Lupin Pharmaceuticals
• Zielbio in its Series A financing