Bird & Bird advises Envision Pharma Group on their acquisition of OKRA.ai

Envision is a leading global technology-enabled strategic solutions partner for the life sciences industry, working with over 200 pharma and biotech companies, including 18 of the top 20 pharmaceutical companies. Envision supports clients across the product lifecycle through a comprehensive suite of services and industry-leading technology solutions: including evidence-based scientific communications and engagement; commercialization and integrated medical consultancy; and HEOR/market access and data analytics capabilities.

OKRA.ai is an award-winning technology company active in the provision of artificial intelligence (AI) solutions for the healthcare industry. OKRA.ai is a pioneer in developing AI solutions for the life science industry, bringing self-learning AI to optimize commercial, medical and market access decision making. Through its product portfolio, OKRA.ai delivers AI solutions to empower pharmaceutical companies with predictions and suggestions to bring novel treatments to patients in an efficient and effective way. Based in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, OKRA.ai employs around 30 members of staff. The acquisition of OKRA.ai will bring the total number of Envision Pharma Group to 1,400+ employees across four continents.

OKRA.ai’s AI products and solutions translate large clinical, scientific, and commercial data sets into actionable insights to empower decision-making and drive action to clients in the life sciences industry. The deal will help accelerate the work being done to incorporate AI into decision-making across the life science industry.

The Bird & Bird Team was led by James Baillieu (partner, Corporate) and Fiona McFarlane (legal director, Corporate) and also included Dhruv Chhatralia (legal director, Corporate), Jazmin Cole (associate, Corporate) and Kathryn Parker (trainee solicitor, Corporate), Zoe Feller (partner, tax), Ivo Ijzerman and Andrew Rink (associates, Tax), Sally Shorthose (partner, IP), Pieter Erasmus and Jason White (associates, IP), Jonathan Emmanuel (partner, Information Technology), Miriam Ballhausen (partner, Information Technology), Benjamin Woodfield, Christina Fleming, Andrew Vernon, Grace Tolino, Kohei Wachi and Thomas Albermann (associates, Information Technology), Gabriel Voisin (partner, Data Protection) and Elizabeth Upton (legal director, Data Protection), Maarten Finkers (associate, Data Protection) and Philip Hartman (partner, Employment), Penny Hunt (legal director, Employment), Alice Peet and Anne-Aimée Dabekaussen (associates, Employment).

Meg Heim, CEO at Envision Pharma Group comments that: “The acquisition of OKRA.ai marks an exciting milestone in Envision’s evolution as we continue to accelerate and deliver a compelling combination of technology-enabled capabilities and solutions to clients. The combination of Envision’s leading technology, capabilities, and solutions with OKRA.ai’s artificial intelligence solutions and expertise enables us to strengthen our offerings to clients across the product life cycle, but more importantly support patients in their journey to health and wellness.”

Arthur Shih, General Counsel at Envision Pharma Group comments that: “The acquisition of OKRA.ai is an exciting step in Envision’s growth. It was a pleasure working with the Bird & Bird team, whose knowledge and expertise, particularly in the cutting-edge fields of life sciences, AI, data and IP, have helped us to successfully complete this transaction.”

James Baillieu, partner in the Corporate practice at Bird & Bird says: “We were absolutely thrilled to advise Envision on their strategic acquisition of OKRA.ai, which has exciting potential for the healthcare and life sciences sector. This deal is a fantastic example of our ability to successfully execute a transaction while drawing upon our market-leading expertise in life sciences as well as in AI, data and IP.”