Yasin E. Akbari

Yasin E. Akbari

Partner
Yasin E. Akbari
Boston
+1 617 570 1013

Yasin Akbari is a partner in the firm's internationally recognized Life Sciences group. Her practice covers a diverse range of complex transactions in the life sciences and technology industries, including mergers and acquisitions, royalty-based financings and other strategic investments, and equity financings of both private and public companies. She also acts as a day-to-day advisor to public and private companies, providing guidance on corporate governance and strategy, SEC reporting, and stock exchange compliance.

Yasin is a member of the Boston Bar Association and the Women’s Bar Association. She joined Goodwin in 2015 and is a member of the firm’s hiring committee.

Representative Matters

Yasin has broad experience representing clients in mergers, acquisitions, business combinations, and spin-offs, including:

  • Nimbus Therapeutics in the sale of its allosteric TYK2 inhibitor program to Takeda for $4 billion upfront and up to $6 billion in total
  • KBP Biosciences in its sale of its ocedurenone program to Novo Nordisk for up to $1.3 billion in total
  • Blueprint Medicines in:
    • its acquisition of Lengo Therapeutics for $250 million upfront and up to $465 million in total
    • the sale of its US rights to Gavreto for up to $117.5 million in total purchase price
  • Acino in its acquisition of M8 Pharmaceuticals (Moksha8), a specialty biopharmaceutical company focused on licensing, marketing and distributing therapeutics in Latin America
  • bluebird bio in the spin-off of its oncology programs and portfolio into 2seventy bio
  • CathWorks in its acquisition option agreement with Medtronic for up to $585 million upfront plus post-closing earn-out payments
  • Corvidia Therapeutics in its sale to Novo Nordisk for $725 million upfront and up to $2.1 billion in total
  • Spark Therapeutics in its $4.8 billion sale to Roche
  • ANA Therapeutics in its sale to NeuroBo Pharmaceuticals
  • Twilio in its $3 billion acquisition of SendGrid
  • Keryx Biopharmaceuticals in its $1 billion merger with Akebia Therapeutics
  • Consonance-HFW Acquisition Corp., a SPAC formed by Consonance Capital Management, in its business combination with Surrozen

Yasin has special expertise in royalty-based financings, including sales of synthetic royalty interests, and product development financings. She has represented numerous companies and leading investors in this space, including:

  • Alnylam Pharmaceuticals in its strategic financing collaboration with Blackstone Life Sciences, valued at $2 billion
  • Blackstone Life Sciences in its €300 million strategic financing collaboration with Sanofi, to support the clinical development of a subcutaneous formulation of Sarclisa
  • Abingworth, the life sciences franchise of global investment firm Carlyle, in:
    • its strategic financing collaboration with Gilead of up to $210 million, to support select clinical studies of Trodelvy in non-small cell lung cancer
    • its strategic development funding agreement with Teva for up to $150 million to offset Teva’s ICS/SABA (TEV-‘248) program costs
    • its non-dilutive financing of Opthea of up to $170 million to support the late-stage development and pre-commercialization of OPT-302
    • its non-dilutive financing of Pathalys to support the late-stage development of upacicalcet, amounting to $150 million in combination with Pathalys’ concurrent Series A financing
    • its $100 million non-dilutive financing of CymaBay Therapeutics to support the clinical development of seladelpar
  • ImmuNext in its agreement with Royalty Pharma, in which Royalty Pharma acquired royalties and milestones on frexalimab for approximately $525 million in cash including estimated transaction costs
  • Heidelberg Pharma in the sale of a portion of its future royalties from worldwide sales of Zircaix for up to $115 million in total purchase price
  • R-Bridge Healthcare Fund, an affiliate of CBC Group, in:
    • its $60 million loan to Paratek Pharmaceuticals, backed by royalties on sales of omadacycline in greater China and a revenue interest in U.S. sales of Nuzyra
    • its $40 million loan to Trevena, backed by royalties on sales of oliceridine in greater China and a revenue interest in US sales of Olinvyk
    • its $38 million investment in royalties payable to Santhera Pharmaceuticals on sales of AGAMREE in North America and greater China
  • DRI Capital in its acquisition of MacroGenics’ royalties on sales of Tzield for $100 million upfront and milestone payments of up to $100 million in total
  • Royalty Pharma in numerous transactions, including:
    • its $2.025 billion strategic financing partnership with MorphoSys
    • its $827 million acquisition of Ligand Pharmaceuticals’ royalties on sales of Promacta
    • its purchase of worldwide royalties on sales of tazemetostat from Eisai and Epizyme and concurrent $100 million equity investment in Epizyme
    • its $320 million acquisition of Ultragenyx’s royalties on European sales of Crysvita
    • its $100 million purchase of a synthetic royalty on sales of Nurtec from, and equity investments of up $250 million in, Biohaven
    • its $94 million acquisition of MGH’s royalties on sales of Entyvio
    • its $220 million acquisition of a partial interest in AiCuris’ royalties on Prevymis
    • its $255 million acquisition of Agios’ royalties on sales of Idhifa
    • its $175 million purchase of a synthetic royalty on sales of Trodelvy from, and equity investment of $75 million in, Immunomedics
    • its acquisition of royalties on sales of Erleada
  • Blueprint Medicines in:
    • its strategic financing collaboration with Sixth Street Partners for up to $910 million
    • its sale of royalties on Gavreto to Royalty Pharma for $175 million upfront plus up to $165 million in milestone payments
  • Nektar Therapeutics in:
    • its $150 million capped sale of royalties on Movantik, Adynovate and Rebinyn to Healthcare Royalty Partners
    • its $150 million financing and co-development collaboration with SFJ Pharmaceuticals to support the clinical development of bempegaldesleukin (BEMPEG)
  • AnaptysBio in its sale to DRI Capital of royalties on sales of Zejula for $35 million upfront and a $10 million milestone payment
  • FibroGen in its $50 million royalty monetization financing with NovaQuest Capital Management, backed by royalties on sales of Evrenzo
  • Avadel Pharmaceuticals in its $75 million revenue interest financing with RTW Investments to support the commercial launch of Lumryz
  • RTW Investments in its strategic financing and licensing collaboration with Cytokinetics, valued at $200 million upfront, focused on the development of CK-274
  • Cornerstone OnDemand in its $300 million strategic investment led by Silver Lake
  • Chiasma in its $75 million revenue interest financing with Healthcare Royalty Partners to support the late-stage development and commercial launch of Mycapssa
  • Concert Pharmaceuticals in its sale to BVF Partners and RA Capital of a partial interest in potential future royalties on sales of AVP-786
  • Hansa Biopharma in its $70 million financing with NovaQuest to support the development and commercialization of imlifidase

Yasin’s recent client representations in initial public offerings, follow-on offerings, PIPE financings, and at-the-market (ATM) programs include:

  • 2seventy bio in its $170 million March 2022 PIPE financing and its $125 million February 2023 public offering
  • Cabaletta Bio in its $75 million initial public offering
  • TCR2 Therapeutics in its $75 million initial public offering
  • COMPASS Pathways in its $144 million April 2021 public offering and $150 million at-the-market program
  • bluebird bio in its December 2016, December 2017, June 2017, July 2018 and May 2020 public offerings, raising over $2.5 billion
  • Blueprint Medicines in its December 2016, December 2017, April 2019 and January 2020 public offerings, raising over $1 billion, and its $300 million at-the-market program
  • Revolution Healthcare Acquisition Corp., a SPAC formed by General Catalyst and ARCH Venture Partners, in its March 2021 $500 million initial public offering
  • Consonance-HFW Acquisition Corp. in its November 2020 $80 million initial public offering

  • SonoThera in its $60.75 million Series A financing
  • Corvidia Therapeutics in its $26 million Series A financing and $60 million Series B financing
  • Optum Ventures’ participation in Apervita’s Series A financing 
  • Moderna in its $474 million September 2016 equity financing
  • Carbon Black in its $54.5 million Series F financing
 

Credentials

Education

JD

Boston College Law School

(cum laude)

BA

Johns Hopkins University

MA

Yale University

Admissions

Bars

  • Massachusetts

Recognition & Awards

Yasin has been recognized by The Best Lawyers in America Ones to Watch for her work in Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Corporate Governance and Compliance Law, and Technology Law. While attending law school, Yasin served as a note editor for the International and Comparative Law Review and chaired the Women's Law Center.