In this chapter, co-authored with Adrian M. Schell, Dr. Freier examines the key legal issues surrounding private equity investments in the biotech/pharma industry. The chapter focuses on small and medium-sized companies that primarily research, develop and/or market biotechnological drugs, diagnostics and medical products. In particular, it assesses the particular characteristics private equity and venture capital investors have for these companies, which tend to be young and have a high capital requirement given the naturally long research and development period—and corresponding high risk of failure—for these products.

The "§32 Biotechnology Investments" chapter appears in the Legal Guide to Private Equity (2020; 2nd edition), a handbook edited by Jesch/Striegel/Boxberger and published by C.H. Beck.

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