Khaitan, Amarchand, AZB, Herbies on $193m Otsuka,Mitsui-Claris pharma JV

Monday, 10 December 2012 By Legally India Corporate M&A

Khaitan & Co, with Herbert Smith Freehills, advised the Japanese Otsuka Pharmaceutical Factory (OPF), in co-investing Rs 1050 crore ($193m) in Indian pharma company Claris Lifesciences, to form a joint venture (JV). Claris was advised by AZB & Partners. Japan’s Mitsui & Co, advised by Amarchand Mangladas, was the other investor.

Khaitan & Co Mumbai corporate partner Bhavik Narsana led the transaction with inputs on specific issues from corporate partner Rabindra Jhunjhunwala, banking partner Devidas Banerji, litigation partner Chakrapani Misra, partners Sudip Mullick and Abhishek Sharma on real estate, with competition law counsel Avaantika Kakkar, tax executive directors Daksha Baxi and Dinesh Agarwal and principal associate Adheesh Nargolkar, in acting for OPF which is Japanese diversified healthcare group Otsuka’s originating company.

Herbert Smith Freehills Tokyo partner James Robinson also acted for OPF.

AZB & Partners Mumbai partner Abhijit Joshi with associates Nilanjana Singh and Adarsh Varghese acted for the Ahmedabad-based Claris Lifesciences which is India’s largest injectable drugs maker and which entered into the JV through its subsidiary Claris Specialty Injectibles.

Amarchand Mangaldas Delhi partner Amit Kumar with principal associate Saurav Kumar and senior associate Ambarish acted for Mitsui & Co which is Japan’s largest general trading company.

Claris Lifesciences and Mitsui & Co will hold 20 per cent each, while OPF will hold 60 per cent in the JV Claris Specialty Injectibles, according to the Economic Times.

The JV will help introduce Otsuka’s products for the first time to the Indian drugs market, according to DNA India.

Photo credits: Ein86

Khaitan & Co Amarchand Mangaldas AZB & Partners Herbert Smith Freehills

Comments

InsideOut 10 Dec 2012, 12:38

+0 -0

Woah, that's a lot of partners to have on a deal from just one law firm! I'm wondering: was the deal that complicated?

Rules of the game 10 Dec 2012, 12:42

Everyone is building their CV / transaction list by being involved :)

Bob 10 Dec 2012, 15:43

[quote name="Rules of the game"]Everyone is building their CV / transaction list by being involved :)[/quote]

10:1:1, either the firm has plently of free resources or less transactions.....

Hah 10 Dec 2012, 16:02

Perhaps the transaction was so large / complicated that it required six partners, one counsel and two executive directors (whatever that is) on it.

Wonder how they justified billing that?! Seriously though, if the transaction was that complicated, it would be interesting to get more detail about it. Kian - is this something that you could perhaps probe further with an interview of one of the partners?

Complicated 11 Dec 2012, 11:20

[quote name="InsideOut"]Woah, that's a lot of partners to have on a deal from just one law firm! I'm wondering: was the deal that complicated?[/quote]
Yes, it was so complicated that AZB which was the sole advisor to Claris required two associates.

Second deal 10 Dec 2012, 12:40

Is this the second inbound investment through JV in the healthcare sector after Bayer-Zydus last year? http://www.legallyindia.com/201102021754/Corporate-/-MA/clifford-chance-azb-jsa-triple-team-for-bayer-in-zydus-pharma-jv. I would like to do a study on this sector and some heads-up would be nice.

Scooter 21 Dec 2012, 07:33

Kian..HS has a decent enough name..why dont you use that! (or HS..for that matter)! Herbies sounds like a @#$@#$ up disease. A cross between Herpes and Rabies!

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