Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP, a multidisciplinary, integrated professional services firm, announced the arrivals of Tina Papagiannopoulos, Haider Andazola, Alexander Somodevilla and Patrick Brennan to the Firm’s Health Care and Life Sciences industry practices.

They bring an in-depth knowledge of the legal, policy and regulatory landscapes across health care, as well as have deep experience representing clients before the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Their arrival enhances Manatt’s position as a prominent authority in a wide range of legal, legislative, financing, go-to-market, commercialization and tech-related matters throughout the life sciences and biopharmaceutical sectors. Their arrival is part of the Firm’s continued strategic growth in this space, closely following the joining of Partners Pat Cerundolo (Boston), Erin Estey Hertzog (D.C.) and Ross Margulies (D.C.), Managing Directors Christina Farr (NY), Tom Cassels (D.C.), Dr. Shamiram Feinglass (D.C.) and Melindah Sharma (NY) as well as Venture Debt Partners Troy Zander (SD) and Warren Biro (LA).

Papagiannopoulos counsels clients on a range of regulatory, policy and compliance matters involving FDA and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), in addition to assisting with various litigation and transactional matters involving life sciences companies. With a focus on therapeutics, she advises on product development and regulatory approval, marketing exclusivities, advertising and promotion, post-approval obligations, and responses to investigation and enforcement actions. Papagiannopoulos also offers guidance to FDA-regulated clients to help them navigate issues that have the potential to materially impact their businesses, including formal agency meetings and processes involving public comment and petitioning.

Andazola advises on coding, coverage and reimbursement strategies under the Medicare and Medicaid programs for clients navigating health care’s most complex regulatory requirements. He provides guidance on engaging with CMS to help companies ensure compliance with federal requirements while simultaneously achieving their business objectives. Andazola’s strategic regulatory and public policy practice spans across the health care industry to include life science companies, hospitals, physician practices and health plans. Additionally, Andazola maintains an active pro bono practice representing immigrants and their families in accessing legal status in the U.S.

Somodevilla provides regulatory, coverage, reimbursement and compliance strategies to health care and life sciences clients. Partnering with a broad range of providers, life sciences companies, medical device manufacturers and payers, he helps clients navigate the state and federal legislative, regulatory and policy matters impacting their business. Somodevilla also has experience working on health care legal and policy issues surrounding Medicaid, Medicare and the Affordable Care Act.

Brennan works with various health care and life sciences companies on navigating federal policy developments across the health care industry. In particular, he helps guide clients, including prescription drug and medical device manufacturers, providers and payers, through legal and policy matters involving federal agencies, such as CMS and FDA. He also has experience working on state-level legislative and regulatory issues, including Medicaid and commercial coverage policies. Prior to joining Manatt, Brennan worked in the U.S. Senate, where he advised on health policy and oversight issues, as well as at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, where he was involved in strategic decision-making and communications surrounding the COVID-19 response, drug pricing initiatives, price transparency, value-based care and global health issues, among others.

Papagiannopoulos, Andazola, Somodevilla and Brennan join the Firm’s roster of legal and consulting professionals who have also joined over the last year across core industry sectors, including Cross-Industry Corporate and Finance (Bill Broome); Digital and Technology (Tim Andrews and Lisa W. Rosaya); Entertainment (Binta Niambi Brown); Financial Services (Warren Biro, Haley Fiallo, Mike Katz, Jessica Sklute, Troy Zander); Health Care (Heide Bajnrauh, Axel Bernabe, Tom Cassels, Pat Cerundolo, Christina (Chrissy) Farr, Dr. Shamiram (Shami) Feinglass, Robert (Rob) Fraiman, Seth Frazier, Erin Estey Hertzog, Kendall Hussey, Paul Irving, Dr. Tracy Johnson, Jason Klimek, Anna Lansky, Ross Margulies, John O’Brien, Lisa Sbrana, Melindah Sharma, Jerry Tichner, Mark Wietecha, and Shaina Zurlin); and Cross-Industry Litigation (Schuyler G. Carroll, Randy S. Grossman, Kareem A. Salem and Justin Wolosz).

Papagiannopoulos earned her LL.M. from the Georgetown University Law School, her J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law and her B.S.B.A. from the Georgetown University School of Business.

Andazola earned his J.D. from the George Washington University Law School and his B.A. from the University of Denver.

Somodevilla earned his LL.M. and J.D. from the George Washington University Law School and his B.B.A. from the University of Miami

Brennan earned his J.D. from the Georgetown University Law Center and his A.B. from Harvard University.