Bolstering its capabilities for companies in the life sciences industry, Morgan Lewis today welcomes Stephen Forster, who most recently served as senior director and lead counsel of pricing and commercial access strategy at Otsuka Pharmaceutical. As a partner resident in Washington, DC, Steve will advise life sciences companies on drug pricing and commercial contracting matters.
“Pharmaceutical pricing is a key issue in the life sciences industry, and it is becoming increasingly important as our clients face heightened regulation related to price reporting, price negotiation on innovative products and therapies, and other areas of market access,” said Firm Chair Jami McKeon. “Steve is well versed across multiple areas of drug pricing and contracting and has also dealt with several different pharma product types over the course of his career, which gives him a robust understanding of commercial and government distribution programs that our clients will appreciate.”
At Otsuka, Steve supported the company’s strategic pricing and contracting engagement, launches, compliance, and long-term business strategies. He provided advice to company leadership and the government affairs, contracting, channel, trade, distribution, and regulatory teams about legal issues related to the company’s price and rebate portfolio strategy. He also advised senior executives on legal matters related to line extensions, 340B pricing, managed care, channel/trade, government price reporting, generics and authorized generics, marketing, Inflation Reduction Act, and sales. Steve also previously served as an attorney with the US Drug Enforcement Administration and an assistant attorney general in the Virginia Attorney General’s Office.
“Steve’s deep familiarity in the channel, trade, distribution, and pricing arenas and his insights gained from working in the industry will enable us to better meet the counseling and commercial needs of our life sciences clients,” said Kathleen Sanzo, leader of Morgan Lewis’s FDA and healthcare practice. “His proficiency with pharmacy benefit management, group purchasing organization agreements, and 340B program pricing—which are important to drug manufacturers, contract pharmacies, and not-for-profit health systems alike—will also greatly help clients meet their business objectives.”