BGI-Shenzhen

A multi-office, multi-practice O’Melveny team represented BGI Shenzhen, a China based genomic research and sequencing company, in its US$117.6 million acquisition of Complete Genomics and its successful defense of the transaction against a hostile competing bid. The transaction marked the first ever acquisition of a US publicly traded company by a Chinese acquirer. Shortly after the transaction was announced, Illumina, Inc. initiated a hostile bid to acquire Complete Genomics. O’Melveny used a combination of antitrust and corporate defensive measures to ultimately defeat Illumina’s bid. We also steered BGI through the regulatory approval process in the US and China. Our work in the matter was recognized in Financial Times’ US Innovative Lawyers report for 2013.