Stephen M. Nicolai

Stephen M. Nicolai

Partner Corporate & Finance

Philadelphia

+1 267 675 4642

[email protected]

Stephen M. Nicolai

Overview
Experience
Credentials
Insights and events

' ... Stephen Nicolai stand[s] out for [his] expertise representing small to mid-sized public biotech and pharma companies.'
Client quoted in Legal 500 US 2022: Healthcare – Life Sciences, 2022

Stephen Nicolai uses his deep knowledge of the life sciences industry to help clients meet their business goals and identify practical, business-minded solutions to issues that arise in corporate, securities, and commercial matters.

Stephen has successfully negotiated and completed a range of life sciences transactions, with a particular focus on capital market offerings (IPOs, follow-on offerings, bought deals, ATMs, RDOs, PIPES, and private placements), collaboration/licensing transactions, alternative financing arrangements (synthetic royalty financings), and M&A transactions. Additionally, he regularly advises public and privately held clients, including senior executives and boards of directors, on securities, governance, transactional, and a range of other complex issues.

Stephen's work advising clients has benefited from his previous secondment to a global health care company, where he gained an even greater appreciation for the importance of having a deep understanding of his clients' business and bringing a practical approach to the table.

Pro bono is an important part of Stephen's practice, and he currently serves as the Pro Bono Liaison for the Philadelphia office. Some of his pro bono matters have included representing Red Dot Foundation Global to obtain 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status, Thinking Beyond Borders Inc. in its sale transaction, and individual clients with divorce, social security, and other personal legal matters.

'Stephen Nicolai is a stand-out partner in capital market transactions, public company reporting and general corporate matters. Stephen’s extensive legal expertise, coupled with his deep understanding of current market dynamics and practical business-minded advise, make him an invaluable asset to me.'
Client quoted in Legal 500 US 2023: Capital Markets – Equity Offerings

Representative experience

EyePoint Pharmaceuticals Inc. in its US$115m underwritten public offering of equity securities through a syndicate of underwriters led by Cowen and Gugenheim Securities.

Helsinn Group in its global license and collaboration agreement with BridgeBio Pharma to develop, manufacture, and commercialize BridgeBio’s FGFR inhibitor infigratinib in oncology.

OptiNose Inc. in its US$46m underwritten public offering of common stock through a syndicate of underwriters led by Piper Sandler.

Helsinn Group in its collaboration with BridgeBio Pharma to co-develop and co-commercialize BridgeBio’s GPX4 inhibitor and other potential therapies in multiple cancer tumor types.

A specialty pharmaceutical company in its US$138m IPO of common stock through a syndicate of underwriters led by Jefferies and Piper Jaffray.

A clinical-stage biotechnology company in its US$80m synthetic royalty financing transaction.

OptiNose Inc. in its US$120m follow-on public offering of common stock through a syndicate of underwriters led by Jefferies and Piper Jaffray.

Marinus Pharmaceuticals Inc. in its US$70m "bought deal" public offering of common stock through a syndicate of underwriters led by Cantor Fitzgerald & Co.

EyePoint Pharmaceuticals Inc. in its US$115m underwritten public offering of common stock through a syndicate of underwriters led by Cowen and Guggenheim Securities

EyePoint Pharmaceuticals Inc. in its acquisition of Icon Bioscience Inc. and accompanying US$60m equity financing with a group of third-party investors.

Several life companies in at-the-market equity offerings led by Jefferies, Cowen and Company, Cantor Fitzgerald, and B. Riley FBR.

A clinical-stage oncology company in its reverse merger into a Nasdaq-listed public company.

Astellas in a collaborative agreement with Selecta for the licensing and development of IgG protease candidate Xork.

A clinical-stage pharmaceutical company in its US$80m IPO of common stock through a syndicate of underwriters led by Jefferies and Piper Jaffray.*

A clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company in a US$225m public offering of common stock through a syndicate of underwriters led by J.P. Morgan and Goldman Sachs.*

*Matter handled prior to joining Hogan Lovells.