Lila Hope

LILA HOPE represents biotechnology, pharmaceutical, medical technology, diagnostics, vaccine, and digital health companies in strategic transactions across the life sciences sector. Her practice focuses on complex licensing, collaboration, co-development, option, platform discovery, commercialization, supply, and other commercial agreements that support the discovery, development, and commercialization of innovative products and technologies.

Lila advises clients on a broad range of partnering and transactional matters involving intellectual property, business, operational, and regulatory considerations. She regularly structures and negotiates complex strategic collaborations between emerging and established life sciences companies, including platform and discovery collaborations, option-based transactions, and commercial arrangements supporting clinical development and product commercialization. She also counsels management, business development, legal, and operational teams on day-to-day transactional matters and risk assessment.

A significant portion of Lila’s practice involves cross-border transactions, particularly those involving Asia-based biotechnology companies. She has extensive experience advising on inbound and outbound licensing arrangements, strategic alliances, new company formations, and other transactions connecting innovative biotechnology companies with global pharmaceutical partners.

In addition, Lila advises clients on transactional diligence and product rights assessments in connection with financings, initial public offerings, mergers and acquisitions, and other strategic transactions.

Lila’s scientific background provides clients with a deep understanding of the technologies underlying life sciences transactions. Prior to her legal career, she earned a PhD in cancer biology and conducted research focused on the characterization of a novel tumor susceptibility gene.

Lila has been recognized by Chambers USA for California Life Sciences: Corporate/Commercial (2020–2026) and Nationwide Life Sciences: Corporate/Commercial (2024–2026), as well as Chambers Global for Life Sciences: Corporate/Commercial (2025–2026). She was also recognized as a Law360 “MVP in Life Sciences” (2024), a Business Today “Top 10 Powerhouse Life Sciences Corporate Lawyer in California” (2023), and an Attorney Intel “Top 25 Biotechnology and Life Sciences Attorney” (2024).

Licensing and Collaboration Transactions

• Hengrui in a licensing and collaboration transaction with BMS.
• Everest in a licensing transaction with Dimerix.
• Frontier in a licensing transaction with GSK.
• GenHouse in a licensing transaction with Gilead.
• RemeGen in a licensing transaction with AbbVie.
• Jacobio in a licensing transaction with AstraZeneca.
• InnoCare in a licensing transaction with Zenas.
• Argo Biopharma in a licensing and option transaction with Novartis.
• Evopoint in a licensing transaction with Astellas.
• RemeGen in a NewCo transaction forming VOR.
• Sciwind in a NewCo transaction forming Verdiva,
• Foreseen in a licensing transaction with Ipsen.
• Tiannuo in a NewCo transaction forming Prolium.
• MediLink in a licensing transaction with Roche.
• Puhe BioPharma in a licensing transaction with Bayer.
• OrbiMed in a NewCo transaction with KeyMed.
• Radiomedix in a licensing and collaboration with Orano Med and Sanofi.
• Degron in research collaboration with Takeda.
• Systimmune in a licensing and collaboration transaction with BMS.
• Zai Lab in license and collaboration with Vertex, Mabcare, MediLink Therapeutics, Seagen, argenx, Karuna Therapeutics, Blueprint Medicines, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Deciphera Pharmaceuticals, MacroGenics, Paratek Pharmaceuticals, TESARO, GSK, Bristol Myers Squibb, Sanofi, and UCB.
• Rona Therapeutics in collaboration with Keymed Biosciences.
• Zion Pharma in a biosciences product acquisition with Roche.
• Impact Therapeutics in a global partnership with Eikon Therapeutics.
• Seven and Eight Biopharmaceuticals in an asset purchase with Eikon.
• MediLink in a licensing transaction with BioNTech.
• Biotheryx in a research collaboration with Incyte.
• Zhimeng Biopharma in a license with GSK.
• SiteOne Therapeutics in collaboration and license with Vertex Pharmaceuticals.
• Fate in a research collaboration with ONO.
• Akoya in a CDx collaboration with Acrivon.
• Xbiome in an asset purchase transaction with Assembly.
• Cour in a licensing transaction with Ironwood.
• Nimble in a discovery collaboration with Genentech.
• Vera Therapeutics in a product acquisition with Pfizer.
• Inmagene Biopharmaceuticals in a strategic partnership with Chi-Med.
• Inmagene in a novel topical drug collaboration with TWi Biotechnology.
• Everest in a discovery collaboration with AbCellera.
• Jadeite in a licensing transaction with Albireo.
• Vera Therapeutics in a product license with Merck.
• Eureka in a licensing transaction with Sanofi.
• I-Mab Biopharma in a monoclonal antibody exclusive license with AbbVie.
• Jacobio Pharmaceuticals in strategic collaboration with AbbVie.
• ADC Therapeutics in a license and collaboration with ADCT BioPharma.
• Fate in a discovery collaboration with Jassen.
• Nimble in a discovery collaboration with Incyte.
• ADC Therapeutics in a NewCo transaction with Overland.
• Angion in a licensing transaction with Vifor.
• Everest Medicines in a license and collaboration with Calliditas Therapeutics.
• Goldfinch Bio in a kidney disease discovery platform collaboration with Gilead Sciences.
• Turnstone in a discovery collaboration with Takeda.

The above matters were handled prior to joining Sidley.

• American Bar Association
• Duke Law Board of Visitors, member (2022–present)
• Stanford Medicine Alumni Association, past president (2019–2021) and past board member
• Duke Law Alumni Association, past president (2021–2022) and past board member