Follow us

Leading international law firm Herbert Smith Freehills has advised CICC and Morgan Stanley as joint sponsors and the underwriters of biopharmaceutical company Lepu Biopharma Co., Ltd. (02157.HK)’s mainboard listing on the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong.

Lepu Biopharma focuses on oncology therapeutics. The company has designed a pipeline of innovative drug candidates targeting in a number of indications, including ADCs, oncolytic virus drugs and immunotherapies at clinical and pre-clinical stages, and the company has established an integrated end-to-end platform across drug discovery, clinical development and CMC and GMP-compliant manufacturing.

The company listed on 23 February 2022.

"We are delighted to have worked with Lepu Biopharma, one of the leading oncology therapy research and development specialists on its successful listing on the HKEX,” said Hong Kong partner Matt Emsley. "We congratulate Lepu Biopharma on its successful IPO. We are happy to have worked with CICC and Morgan Stanley again on another successful biotech listing."

Herbert Smith Freehills has advised on a number of biotech listings since the Hong Kong exchange introduced its new regime for biotech listings in 2018, including those of Shanghai Junshi Biosciences (01877.HK), TOT BIOPHARM (01875.HK), SinoMab BioScience Limited (03681.HK), Peijia Medical (09996.HK), Antengene Corporation Limited (06996.HK), CARsgen Therapeutics (02171.HK), Brii Biosciences (02137.HK), Shanghai HeartCare Medical Technology (06609.HK), Acotec Scientific Holdings Limited (06669.HK), and Abbisko Cayman Limited (02256.HK), and Shanghai Bio-heart (02185.HK).

"Our China capital markets practice has enjoyed its busiest ever period for several consecutive quarters, and we look forward to working more closely with our clients," said Herbert Smith Freehills Kewei joint operation partner Stanley Xie.

In the past six months, Herbert Smith Freehills and the joint operation have advised on seven China IPOs in Hong Kong, ranking first among 35 international and local firms in Hong Kong, according to the data compiled by Ryanben Capital.

"As business grows, we are exciting to see new members join and enhance our local expertise," continued Matt.

In the past three months, Herbert Smith Freehills has added three senior hires as part of its expansion of the firm's China capital markets expertise, including the upcoming hire of US securities partner Xavier Amadei in Singapore, and the hire of counsel Ariel Lin in Hong Kong and Agatha Shen by the firm's joint operation partner Kewei in Shanghai last December.

Matt and Stanley jointly led the team advising joint sponsors, assisted by of counsel Jin Kong, senior associate Jaime Fong, associates Cyrus Wong and Sean Ji, legal manager Hilary Chong, and legal assistants Kate Lam and Ye Han.

Legal manager Marine Jin led Herbert Smith Freehills Kewei Joint Operation’s Alternative Legal Services business to provide high-efficiency solutions for verification and other document-intensive processes during the offering, assisted by legal analyst Jean Zhou.

全球领先的律师事务所史密夫斐尔作为生物制药企业乐普生物科技股份有限公司(02157.HK)联席保荐人中金和摩根士丹利的律师,为其在香港联交所主板上市提供法律服务。

乐普生物聚焦于肿瘤治疗领域。公司已构建针对多种适应症的创新候选药物产品管线,包括临床及临床前阶段的ADC类和溶瘤病毒候选药物及免疫疗法,并建立了从药物发现、临床开发、CMC到GMP合规生产的一体化的端到端平台。

乐普生物于2022年2月23日开始在香港联交所交易。

史密夫斐尔香港办公室合伙人艾迈修(Matt Emsley)表示:“乐普生物是肿瘤治疗领域的领先公司之一,我们非常荣幸为其在联交所上市提供助力。衷心向乐普生物表示祝贺。同时,我们非常高兴能够与中金和摩根士丹利再度合作,共同助力生物科技公司成功上市。”

自联交所于2018年放宽生物技术公司上市条件以来,史密夫斐尔已经为众多公司在香港上市提供法律服务,包括君实生物(01877.HK)、东曜药业(01875.HK)、中国抗体(03681.HK)、沛嘉医疗(09996.HK)、德琪医药(06996.HK)、科济药业(02171.HK)、腾盛博药(02137.HK)、心玮医疗(06609.HK)、先瑞达医疗(06669.HK)、和誉开曼(02256.HK)以及百心安(02185.HK)。

科伟史密夫斐尔联营办公室合伙人谢守德表示:“我们的中国资本市场团队已经连续几个季度非常繁忙,期待与客户更加紧密的合作。”

根据瑞恩资本(Ryanben Capital)的数据,史密夫斐尔在过去六个月里为7家中国公司在香港IPO上市提供法律服务,在同期参与该项业务的香港35家国际和本土律所中名列第一。

艾迈修补充道:“在业务不断扩张的同时,我们也很高兴看到新成员的加入,壮大了我们的本地服务团队。”

过去三个月,本所继续扩充中国资本市场专业实力,聘请了三位高级别律师,包括马上正式加入新加坡办公室的美国证券法合伙人Xavier Amadei,以及去年十二月加入香港办公室及科伟史密夫斐尔联营办公室的资深顾问林苡萱和沈雪琦。

合伙人艾迈修和谢守德率领律师团队为此次上市保荐人提供法律服务。主要团队成员包括香港办公室资深顾问孔瑾、方靖颐(Senior Associate)、王令轩(Associate)、季晓源(Associate)、种欢子(Legal Manager)、林乐彤(Legal Assistant)和叶晗(Legal Assistant)。

金燊(Legal Manager)率领的科伟史密夫斐尔联营办公室替代性法律服务(ALT)联合团队在发行期间为招股书验证及其他文件密集型工作提供高效率的解决方案,周雅菁(Legal Analyst)提供支持。

Key contacts

Matthew Emsley photo

Matthew Emsley

Managing Partner, China, Hong Kong

Matthew Emsley
Stanley Xie photo

Stanley Xie

, Hong Kong

Stanley Xie

Media contact

For further information on this article please contact

Sally Greig

Head of Communications, Asia

Hong Kong

Media contact

For further information on this article please contact

Vivian Huang

Communications Manager, China

Beijing