Brian J. Cuneo is a partner in the Silicon Valley office of Latham & Watkins. He serves as Global Chair of the firm’s Life Sciences and Healthcare Industry Group, Co-Chair of the Bay Area Corporate Department, and is a former member of the firm’s Strategic Client Committee. Mr. Cuneo advises public and private companies in the biotechnology, medical device, diagnostics, and health information technology sectors. He also regularly represents underwriters and venture capital funds in transactions. Mr. Cuneo has a particular emphasis in capital markets transactions and has represented issuers and underwriters in a broad range of matters, including:
- Initial public offerings (IPO)
- Secondary and follow-on offerings
- Registered and 144A convertible debt offerings
- High yield debt offerings
- Strategic investments
Mr. Cuneo regularly advises companies in matters involving corporate governance, state and federal securities laws, fiduciary duties, employment and compensation, and Securities Exchange Act compliance and disclosure obligations.
Mr. Cuneo was named a Life Sciences “Rising Star” in 2018 by Law360 in their annual coverage highlighting lawyers “whose legal accomplishments transcend their age.” He was also recognized as a leading Life Sciences lawyer by Chambers USA 2021. His peers stated that he is “a smart guy who is easy to work with and someone I want on the other side of a deal.” The Daily Journal honored Mr. Cuneo in 2017 as a leading lawyer in their annual Top 40 under 40 list in California. He was recognized for his transactional work for clients in the life sciences industry and for his leadership role in producing the firm’s Book of Jargon® – Healthcare & Life Sciences, a digital and print glossary developed for the business and legal community as an easy-to-use reference tool to help demystify the industries’ often complex terminology, verbiage, and lingo. LMG Life Sciences named Mr. Cuneo Venture Capital Attorney of the Year in 2020 and has recognized him as a Life Sciences Star since 2016. He was also named a Rising Star from 2013-2018 in the area of Securities & Corporate Finance by Super Lawyers. Mr. Cuneo is a frequent speaker on issues in the life sciences industry and capital markets.
Prior to joining Latham, Mr. Cuneo was an attorney in the Palo Alto office of another firm, and prior to that he was a registered investment advisor in Southern California.
Mr. Cuneo has worked with the following companies, representing them in initial public offerings, venture financings, as well as advising them on legal and business matters:
- Achaogen, Inc.
- Aimmune Therapeutics, Inc.
- Annexon, Inc.
- Ardelyx, Inc.
- Ascendis Pharma A/S
- Berkeley Lights, Inc.
- BlackThorn Therapeutics
- Carbylan Therapeutics, Inc. (acquired by KalVista Pharmaceuticals, Inc.)
- Gritstone Oncology, Inc.
- Kythera Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. (acquired by Allergan)
- Laboratoris Sanifit S.L.
- Nevro Corp.
- Relypsa, Inc. (acquired by Galenica Group)
- Restoration Robotics, Inc.
- Sana Biotechnology, Inc.
- Sansuma Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
- Sienna Biopharmaceuticals, Inc.
- Unity Biotechnology
Mr. Cuneo also regularly advises investment banks on offerings for life sciences companies, including:
- BofA Merrill Lynch
- Citigroup, Inc.
- Cowen and Company LLC
- Credit Suisse
- Goldman Sachs & Co.
- Jefferies L.L.C.
- J.P. Morgan
- Leerink Partners LLC
- Morgan Stanley
- RBC Capital Markets