Sarah Ashfaq is a partner in Goodwin’s nationally recognized Life Sciences and Technology groups and a member of the Capital Markets practice, counseling clients in a wide variety of industries with a focus on life sciences and technology. Serving as her clients’ general or principal outside counsel, Sarah provides strategic advice and legal counseling to management teams and boards while structuring and leading significant transactions on her clients’ behalf.
Sarah has extensive experience representing a diverse range of companies and investment banks with corporate transactions, and securities law matters with a focus on initial public offerings and other public listings, including deSPACs, reverse mergers, direct listings and other public and private corporate finance transactions. She also represents a number of publicly traded biotechnology companies in ongoing SEC compliance and corporate governance matters. Advising companies throughout the full range of the corporate life cycle, Sarah has worked with several of her clients since their initial founding and funding. She joined Goodwin in 2015.
Representative Matters
Sarah’s recent client representations include the following:
- SpringWorks Therapeutics, Inc. in connection with its $3.9 billion sale to Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, its $316 million follow-on public offering, $255 million private placement, and $250 million at-the-market offering program
- Scholar Rock Holding Corporation in connection with its $300 million and $92.5 million follow-on public offerings
- Entrada Therapeutics, Inc. in connection with its collaboration and license agreement with Vertex for aggregate proceeds of $250 million, $100 million registered direct offering, $181.5 million initial public offering, $116 million Series B financing and $25 million Series A financing extension
- Deciphera Pharmaceuticals, Inc. in connection with its $2.4 billion sale to ONO Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., its $143.7 million, $172.4 million, $175 million follow-on public offerings, $127.5 million initial public offering and $200 million at-the-market offering program
- Talaris Therapeutics, Inc. in connection with its business combination with Tourmaline Bio, Inc. and $150 million initial public offering
- Akili, Inc.’s business combination with Social Capital Suvretta Holdings Corp. I and subsequent sale to Virtual Therapeutics Corporation
- Q32 Bio Inc. in connection with its business combination with Homology Medicines, Inc. and related $42 million private placement
- A leading life science and diagnostic company in connection with several of its investment grade notes offerings
- Kymera Therapeutics, Inc. in connection with its $199.8 million initial public offering
- Forma Therapeutics Holdings, Inc. in connection with its $319.3 million initial public offering
- Assembly Biosciences, Inc. in connection with its $143.75 million and $60 million follow-on public offerings and $75 million at-the-market equity program
- Rocket Pharmaceuticals, Inc. in connection with its acquisition of Renovacor, Inc., and its $115 million and $299 million follow-on public offerings
- Concert Pharmaceuticals Inc. in connection with its $73.5 million and $65 million follow-on public offerings and $50 million at-the-market offering program
- Vericel Corporation in connection with its $200 million at-the-market offering program
- Nuvalent, Inc. in connection with its $190.6 million initial public offering
- Rubius Therapeutics, Inc. in connection with its $120 million Series B financing and $101 million Series C financing
- Radius Health, Inc. in connection with its $300 million public offering of convertible senior notes
- Proteostasis Therapeutics, Inc. in connection with its $40 million and $65 million follow-on public offerings
- BeiGene, Ltd. in connection with its $800 million and $175 million follow-on public offerings
- Fate Therapeutics, Inc. in connection with its $40 million follow-on public offering
- The underwriters and sales agent of Sera Prognostics, Inc.’s $50 million follow-on public offering and $50 million at-the-market offering program, respectively
- The underwriters of Autolus Therapeutics plc.’s $350 million and $150 million follow-on public offerings
- The underwriters of G1 Therapeutics, Inc.’s $105 million initial public offering
- The underwriters of CymaBay Therapeutics, Inc.’s $125 million and $84.5 million follow-on public offerings andthe sales agent in CymbaBay Therapeutic, Inc.’s $25 million at-the-market equity program
- The agents of GTx, Inc.’s $48.5 million private investment in public equity
- The underwriter of Viking Therapeutics, Inc.’s $55 million follow-on public offeringThe underwriters of Zogenix, Inc.’s $251.2 million and $85.5 million follow-on public offerings
- The placement agent for Altijmmune, Inc.’s $14.7 million registered direct offering of Series B Convertible Preferred StockThe underwriters of Synlogic, Inc.’s $50 million follow-on public offering
- The underwriters in Synacor, Inc.’s $20 million follow-on public offering
Professional Experience
Prior to joining Goodwin in 2015, Sarah was an associate in the New York office of Davis Polk & Wardwell. Before that, Sarah was a senior associate in the New York office of PricewaterhouseCoopers. She is also registered as a Certified Public Accountant.
Professional Activities
Sarah is an active leader at Goodwin, dedicated to global initiatives supporting practice management and associate development efforts rooted in Goodwin’s core values. She frequently participates in the firm’s recruiting, training and mentoring efforts. Sarah is also involved in Goodwin’s opportunity, inclusion, and belonging initiatives and co-heads Women@Goodwin in New York. Sarah previously served on the board of the Muslim Bar Association of New York and currently serves on the board of the American Pakistan Foundation.
Credentials
Education
JD2008
University of Pennsylvania Law School
Bachelor in Business Administration2002
Baruch College
Admissions
Bars
- New York