RopesTalk

In this Ropes & Gray podcast, asset management partner Isabel Dische and finance partner Patricia Lynch dive into the use of capital call facilities by private investment funds. Specifically, they go into detail on some of the pros and cons for limited partners of such subscription facilities, recent ILPA guidelines relating to their use, the market response to the ILPA guidelines, and their predictions for the future of the market following the adoption of these ILPA guidelines.

In this Ropes & Gray podcast, asset management counsel Brynn Rail and David Tittsworth discuss the SEC’s new rules and interpretations that deal with standards of conduct for brokers and investment advisers. Specifically, they cover the topics of Regulation Best Interest (Reg BI), Form Customer Relationship Summary (Form CRS), and the SEC’s fiduciary duty interpretation under the Advisers Act.

The sixth installment of Ropes & Gray’s podcast series, Non-binding Guidance, continues our two-part discussion on FDA expedited review programs. In this episode, Ropes & Gray lawyer Kellie Combs interviews her partner Greg Levine, who provides an overview of FDA’s new Breakthrough Devices Program. This program, which was finalized in late 2018, aims to expedite the development and FDA premarket review of devices used in the treatment or diagnosis of serious or life-threatening conditions. The Breakthrough Devices Program provides a variety of benefits to manufacturers, including priority review and more frequent and efficient feedback from FDA during the submission and review process, so that devices receiving breakthrough designation can reach the patients who need them quickly and efficiently. In this episode, Greg dives into the program’s eligibility criteria, benefits, when to apply, and some of the practical considerations associated with the program. Additionally, Kellie and Greg discuss recent trends and developments affecting breakthrough devices and provide examples of devices that have recently received breakthrough device designation or that were approved or cleared as breakthrough devices. Tune in to this discussion to learn more about the program and its impact on the medical device industry.

The fifth installment of Ropes & Gray’s podcast series, Non-binding Guidance, is the first part of a two-episode discussion of FDA expedited review programs. In this episode, Ropes & Gray lawyer Greg Levine interviews his partner Kellie Combs, who provides an overview of the four expedited review programs for drugs and biologics: the Fast Track, Breakthrough Therapy, Priority Review, and Accelerated Approval programs. These programs, which are broadly intended to address unmet needs in the treatment of serious or life-threatening conditions for which existing therapies are insufficient, are associated with significant benefits for manufacturers, such as earlier and more frequent FDA interactions, streamlined clinical development requirements, and a shorter FDA review clock—all of which may accelerate time to market and improve the bottom line. In this episode, Kellie discusses the eligibility criteria and benefits associated with each program, and describes timing and other practical issues for product manufacturers to consider. Tune in to this discussion to learn more about the expedited review programs and how to secure the benefits. Next week, we’ll release the second episode of this two-part series, which will focus on the Breakthrough Devices Program. Please stay tuned.

In this Ropes & Gray podcast, litigation & enforcement partners Amy Roy and Rob Skinner discuss the recent decision of a federal court in Los Angeles, rejecting claims of allegedly excessive mutual fund advisory fees against Metropolitan West Asset Management. They discuss the key arguments raised in the trial over the claims, and the evidence relied upon by the court in finding in MetWest’s favor across the board.

Ropes & Gray’s podcast series, IP(DC), focuses on developments in intellectual property law from the vantage point of Ropes & Gray’s office on Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C. The Trump Administration has targeted U.S. drug prices through a number of as yet unsuccessful cost control schemes—with the promise of more to come. At the same time, Congress is looking to restore patenting options for some technical areas such as medical diagnostics, while combating patent “ever-greening” for blockbuster drugs and treatments. Given this storm of legal issues, this IP(DC) podcast tackles the Administration’s confusing efforts to reign in drug pricing to date, while touching upon competing policies at play on the patent side of the business. In this episode, health care partner Tom Bulleit joins IP partners Scott McKeown and Matt Rizzolo.

The fourth installment of Ropes & Gray’s podcast series, Non-binding Guidance, dives into the use of real-world evidence in drug development. In this episode, Ropes & Gray lawyers Kellie Combs and Sarah Blankstein discuss FDA’s current thinking on real-world evidence and how industry has been using real-world evidence studies in FDA submissions, as well as with payors and in product promotion. The speakers highlight key takeaways from FDA’s framework for real-world evidence, issued in December 2018, including the types of data sources and study designs that FDA considers to be “real-world,” and the Agency’s approach to assessing real-world evidence intended to support a determination of effectiveness. Additionally, our presenters discuss highlights from FDA and the Duke-Margolis Center’s public workshop on real-world evidence, which took place on July 11-12. Tune in to this discussion to learn more about FDA’s approach to real-world evidence, the impact on industry, and what companies should be thinking about in this space.

In this Ropes & Gray podcast, asset management partners Laurel FitzPatrick and Joel Wattenbarger discuss the Risk Alert published on May 23, 2019 by the SEC’s Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations, which addresses the obligation to safeguard customer records and other information in cloud-based or network storage solutions.

In this Ropes & Gray podcast, asset management partners Laurel FitzPatrick and Joel Wattenbarger discuss the Risk Alert published on May 23, 2019 by the SEC’s Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations, which addresses the obligation to safeguard customer records and other information in cloud-based or network storage solutions.

In this ESG-focused podcast, asset management partners Isabel Dische and Eve Ellis discuss the United Kingdom’s recently published Green Finance Strategy, the European Union’s Action Plan on Sustainable Finance and how these initiatives may impact asset managers.