Michael Bison is a partner in Goodwin’s nationally and internationally recognized Technology and Life Sciences practice group and a member of its Life Sciences and Capital Markets practices. He represents privately held and publicly traded companies with a strong emphasis on companies across the spectrum of the life sciences industry, including biotechnology, medical devices, diagnostics and healthcare information technology. Mr. Bison also regularly represents leading venture capital firms focused on the life sciences industry in connection with their portfolio company investments, exits and secondary stock sale transactions, as well as underwriters focused on the life sciences industry in connection with capital market and M&A transactions.
Mr. Bison typically serves as outside general counsel to his clients, closely advising management teams and boards of directors on a wide variety of matters throughout the company’s life cycle, including company formation and founder issues, venture capital and growth equity financings, public offerings, M&A, strategic collaborations, commercial transactions, corporate governance and general corporate matters. He is regularly recognized by his clients for his extensive industry knowledge and for providing practical, result-oriented legal advice.
Mr. Bison has advised numerous international companies with respect to their U.S. listings, capital markets transactions, strategic collaborations and M&A transactions, as well as with respect to the establishment of U.S. subsidiaries and various operational matters with respect to these subsidiaries.
Mr. Bison’s work has been recognized by several industry publications, including the Best Lawyers in America, LMG Life Sciences, Who's Who Legal, The Legal 500, Law & Politics magazine, and Boston magazine.
Representative Matters
- argenx in its $114.7 million initial public offering and multiple follow-on offerings, including its most recent $862 million follow-on offering
- bluebird bio in its $116.1 million initial public offering and multiple follow-on offerings, including its most recent $575 million follow-on offering
- Orchard Therapeutics in its $225.5 million initial public offering and initial U.S. listing and its $128.3 million follow-on offering
- Allena Pharmaceuticals in its $75 million initial public offering and $9.8 million registered direct offering
- Chiasma in its $101.8 million initial public offering and its $55 million follow-on offering
- Celyad SA in its $100.1 million initial public offering and U.S. listing and multiple follow-on offerings
- Galapagos NV in its $275 million initial public offering and initial U.S. listing and multiple follow-on offerings
- DBV Technologies S.A. in its $133.1 million global offering and initial U.S. listing
- Sage Therapeutics in its $103.5 million initial public offering and $138 million follow-on offering
- Amarin Corporation in multiple follow-on offerings
- Amarin Corporation in its $150 million 144A note offering and $118.7 million privately negotiated note exchange
- Underwriters in Intrexon Corporation’s $184 million initial public offering
- Leerink Partners in a $57.5 million follow-on offering for Ovascience
- Aegerion Pharmaceuticals in its $54.6 million initial public offering
- LeMaitre Vascular in its $38.5 million initial public offering
- athenahealth in its $90 million initial public offering
- Synspira Therapeutics on its $3 million Series A financing
- Wellframe Inc. on its $17 million Series C financing
- OM1 in its $15 million Series A and $21 million Series B financing
- 2020 Inc. on its Series A, Series A-1 and Series B financings
- Lumicell Inc. on its $28.7 million Series C financing and $27.2 million Series D financing
- Exosome Diagnostics in its $30 million Series C financing
- Docent Health in its $17 million Series A financing
- GliaCure in its $6 million Series B financing
- Mitralign in its $40 million Series E financing
- Exosome Diagnostics in its $27 million Series B financing
- HealthWyse in multiple rounds of private financing (undisclosed)
- meQuilibrium in multiple rounds of private financing (undisclosed)
- bluebird bio in its $35 million Series C and $60 million Series D financing transactions
- FRX Polymers in its $26.7 Series B, $20 million Series C and $22 million Series D financing transactions
- Zeo in its $8.3 million Series C and $12.3 million Series D financing transactions
- Mitralign, Inc. in its sale to Edwards Lifesciences Corporation (NYSE: EW)
- Juniper Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: JNP) in its sale to Catalent (NYSE: CTLT)
- Exosome Diagnostics in its sale to Bio-Techne (NASDAQ: TECH)
- HealthWyse in its sale to Casamba / ABRY Partners
- bluebird bio (NASDAQ: BLUE) in its acquisition of Precision Genome Engineering
- VitalMed in its sale to PPC Industries
- TrialNetworks in its sale to DrugDev
- Outcome Sciences in its sale to Quintiles Transnational (NASDAQ: Q)
- Mpathy Medical in its sale to Coloplast (COLOB.CO)
- Progentix Orthobiology in its sale to NuVasive (NASDAQ: NUVA)
- Ascension Ventures in the acquisition of MedVentive by McKesson Corporation (NYSE: MCK)
- Ascension Ventures in the acquisition of BodyMedia by Jawbone
- Forbion Capital Partners in the acquisition of BioVex by Amgen (NASDAQ: AMGN)
- Frazier Healthcare Partners, New Leaf Ventures, Soffinova Ventures and Canaan Partners in connection with a venture investment in Iterum Therapeutics
- Bessemer Venture Partners and others in multiple rounds of venture investment in Acceleron Pharma, Fractyl Laboratories, Ovascience, Verastem, Proteon Therapeutics, Sirtris Pharmaceuticals and others
- Third Rock Ventures and others in multiple round of venture investment in Allena Pharmaceuticals and Alcresta
- Abingworth Life Sciences and others in connection with venture investments in Chiasma and Avedro
- Ascension Ventures and others in multiple rounds of venture investment in BodyMedia, Inc., Ocular Therapeutix, Vascular Pathways, Cheetah Medical and others
- Lightstone Ventures and others in connection with a venture investment in Catabasis
- Forbion Capital Partners and others in multiple rounds of venture investment in Circulite, Mitralign, Pathway Medical, Promedior and others
- Other leading VC firms, including Flagship Ventures, General Catalyst Partners, Advanced Technology Ventures and MVM Life Sciences, in connection with their portfolio investments and related matters
Professional Activities
Mr. Bison has served on the board of directors of MassMEDIC and is a member, through the firm, of the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) and Massachusetts Biotechnology Council (MBC). He is also a member of the American and Boston Bar Associations.
Professional Experience
Prior to joining Goodwin, Mr. Bison was a member of the Business Practice Group at Testa, Hurwitz & Thibeault, LLP in Boston. Prior to beginning his legal career, he was a business and information systems consultant at Andersen Consulting, LLP (now Accenture Ltd.).
Credentials
Education
JD1998
Northeastern University School of Law
BA1993
College of the Holy Cross
(cum laude)
Admissions
Bars
- Massachusetts
Recognition & Awards
Mr. Bison has been recognized by The Best Lawyers in America Best Lawyers for his work in Biotechnology, Life Sciences Practice and Venture Capital Law 2022-2023.
Mr. Bison has been recognized in the Best Lawyers in America for his work in the areas of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, Mergers and Acquisitions Law and Venture Capital Law. He is also recognized for being an outstanding practitioner in the United States as one of the LMG Life Sciences’ Life Sciences Stars in the areas of Financial & Corporate and Mergers & Acquisitions and as a Global Leader – Life Sciences Transactional by Who’s Who Legal. He has been selected for inclusion in The Legal 500 and recognized as a Massachusetts Super Lawyer “Rising Star” by Law & Politics and Boston magazines.
Publications
Mr. Bison frequently serves as a guest speaker at conferences and industry meetings on strategic and corporate issues affecting life sciences companies. He has also published a variety of articles on venture capital and related topics, including:
- Quoted: “As Coronavirus Spreads, A Biotech IPO Squeaks Through. Others May ‘Wait and See,’” BioPharma Dive (March 2020)
- “New SBA Rule Enabling VC-Backed Small Businesses to Qualify for SBIR Grants Now Effective,” Goodwin Client Alert (January 2013)
- “New Law Allows Venture Capital-Backed Small Businesses to Qualify for SBIR and STTR Grants,” Goodwin Client Alert (January 2012)
- “Massachusetts Life Sciences Center Launches Small Business Matching Grant Program,” Goodwin Client Alert (February 2010)
- “Massachusetts Life Sciences Center Launches New Tax Incentive and Early-Stage Investment Programs,” Goodwin Client Alert (January 2009)
- “Rethinking Cash-Management and Investment Policies,” Financial Executive Magazine (September 2008)
- “Turbulent Credit Markets Require Carefully Crafted Cash Management Policies,” Goodwin Client Alert (March 2008)
- “U.S. House Passes Legislation to Enable Venture-Backed Companies to Qualify for Federal Grants,” Goodwin Client Alert (October 2007)
- “Biotech Companies Must Get Creative As They Seek Alternative Paths to Access Public Markets,” BioNews (October/November 2006)