Leading UK law firm, Shepherd and Wedderburn, has acted for Spero Oncology Ltd in its recent sale to Veristat International.

UK-based Spero Oncology is a Clinical Research Organisation (CRO) specialising in the provision of oncology drug development consultancy, feasibility studies and early phase oncology trials primarily throughout Europe, but also in Australia and New Zealand.

As a result of the sale, Spero Oncology has become part of Veristat International, a US-based full-service CRO with over 20 years’ experience in supporting clinical trials and regulatory submissions for pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device companies in the US and Canada.

Theresa Bruce, a shareholder and director at Spero Oncology, said: “Veristat is a great fit for us. Together, we can offer a wider range of services, in more countries and with more therapeutic and scientific expertise, which will help bring novel therapies to market sooner.”

Commenting on Shepherd and Wedderburn’s involvement in the sale she said: “I am extremely impressed with the professionalism and commitment the team demonstrated. They kept me informed every step of the way and were a pleasure to deal with.”

The Shepherd and Wedderburn team advising Spero Oncology was led by Danny Lee, a partner in the firm’s top-ranked corporate practice, which reported a record year for corporate deals and M&A activity in 2015, closing over 97 deals with an aggregate deal value of £5.4bn.

He commented: “Having worked with a number of the Spero Oncology team on a previous deal, we were delighted to once again use our significant experience in the Life Sciences sector to help secure a deal which will help them achieve their wider ambitions”.