Morag Peberdy has specialized in life sciences work for more than twenty years. She has advised numerous biotech and pharmaceutical companies, ranging from start-ups through to big pharma, on drafting and negotiating intellectual property-related agreements. She has particular expertise in IP licenses and strategic drug R&D collaborations.
In her work with innovative multi-national, national, and start-up life sciences companies, Morag regularly:
- provides strategic advice on licensing and partnering
- assists clients to put in place R&D and collaboration agreements, intellectual property pipeline arrangements, joint ventures, option agreements, strategic alliances, and other commercial and IP-related contracts; and
- advises on intellectual property issues arising in corporate transactions, including M&A, IPOs, venture capital investments, royalty monetizations and restructurings
Morag had a background in biological sciences prior to qualifying as a lawyer and sits on the Intellectual Property Advisory Committee of the Bio Industry Association, advising across the spectrum of intellectual property issues impacting life science companies.
Morag’s insight into both contentious and non-contentious IP matters enables her to bring a valuable perspective and breadth of knowledge to strategic intellectual property issues, which is invaluable in assisting clients’ business objectives.
Representative Matters
- Elevara Medicines on an exclusive worldwide license from Teijin Pharma for a clinical stage molecule for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and other chronic inflammatory conditions.
- Gubra on a $2.225 billion license agreement with AbbVie to develop an amylin analog for the treatment of obesity.
- Astex Pharmaceutics on its licenses to Mosaic Therapeutics of two clinical stage oncology programs.
- A UK biotech on the in-license of ex-China rights to a Phase 2 small molecule for inflammatory diseases.
- X4 Pharmaceuticals on its exclusive licensing and supply agreement to Norgine for commercialization of mavorixafor in Europe, Australia and New Zealand.
- Ellipses Pharma on the in-licence from South Korea of a first-in-class immuno-oncology monoclonal antibody.
- Lantheus on its acquisition of global rights to Life Molecular Imaging’s novel therapeutic and diagnostic pair targeting GRPR for cancers.
- A UK biotech incubator on the grant of foundational in-licences from universities in the UK and overseas for its newly created companies.
- A US venture firm on an in-licence from the University of Oxford into a portfolio company.
- OMass on an exclusive collaboration and license agreement with Genentech for up to $420 million to develop and commercialize therapies for IBD.
- argenx on a multi-target collaboration with Unnatural Products Inc. to generate macrocyclic peptides.
- Avata Biosciences on a co-development agreement with Oceanus Bio for Japan and certain other territories in South East Asia.
- Astex Pharmaceuticals on its exclusive worldwide collaboration and license with MSD to identify small molecule candidates with activity towards a tumour suppressor protein for the treatment of cancer.
- Alchemab Therapeutics on a license and collaboration agreement with Lilly for the development and commercialization of Alchemab’s lead asset.
- Xintela AB on the collaboration and license agreement with EQGen for global rights to the equine stem cell product EQSTEM®.
- A Swiss biotech on an option agreement for the sale of the company to a pharma company, and associated R&D collaboration agreement.
- Calypso Biotech and its selling shareholders on its sale to Novartis AG for upfront consideration of $250 million with potential for shareholders to receive up to $175 million based on the achievement of certain predetermined milestones.
- Emergence Therapeutics and its selling shareholders on its sale to Eli Lilly.
- Novo Holdings on its $16.5 billion acquisition of Catalent.
- 30 Technology on the sale of its antimicrobial nitric oxide platform to Convatec Group.
- SixPeaks Bio on its acquisition by AstraZeneca for potential consideration of up to $300 Million.
- Royalty Pharma’s acquisition of a synthetic royalty from Ascendis Pharma on net sales of Skytrofa® for $150 million.
- Royalty Pharma’s acquisition of a synthetic royalty on net sales of Emalex Biosciences’ ecopipam for $50 million plus up to $44 million in milestones.
- Royalty Pharma’s $150 million capped synthetic royalty funding agreement based on U.S. net sales of Yorvipath.
Professional Activities
- Member of the UK Bio Industry Association Intellectual Property Advisory Committee for over a decade
Professional Experience
Prior to joining Goodwin, Morag was most recently at Covington & Burling LLP.
Credentials
Education
Post-Graduate Diploma in Intellectual Property Law and Practice
University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
Diploma in Legal Practice
Nottingham Law School
Post-Graduate Diploma in Law
Nottingham Law School
MABiological Sciences
University of Oxford
Admissions
Bars
- England and Wales
Courts
- Supreme Court of England and Wales
Recognition & Awards
Recognized as one of the world's leading practitioners in the Lexology Index (formerly Who's Who Legal) Healthcare & Life Sciences 2025
Recognized for excellence in the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in the United Kingdom
Featured in “IAM Patent 1000 - The World’s Leading Patent Practitioners”
Expert Guides, Patents and Women in Business Law
Recognized as a ‘Notable Practitioner’ by Managing IP UK (2025)