Joseph Garcia, Vancouver | Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP

About Joseph

Joseph's practice focuses on corporate finance and mergers and acquisitions. He advises public and private companies, investment dealers, venture capital and private equity funds and acts as independent counsel to boards of directors. Joseph has extensive experience advising on all types of merger and acquisition and corporate finance transactions including public and private equity and debt financings, take-over and issuer bids, share and asset acquisitions and divestitures, and regulatory and stock exchange compliance work.

Prior to his career in law, Joseph worked in corporate finance with a national investment bank and in clinical research with a multinational pharmaceutical company.

Joseph provides legal services through Joseph Garcia Law Corporation.

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Select Experience

Recent representative transactions include advising:

Abdera in connection with its US$110-million combined series A and B financing
Neovasc in connection with its acquisition by Shockwave for approximately US$100-million
Alpha-9 Theranostics in connection with its US$75-million series B financing
Zymeworks in connection with its plan of arrangement transaction to become a Delaware corporation
The underwriters in connection with the US$20-million public offering of units by Medicenna Therapeutics
NervGen Pharma in connection with its US$15.23-million private placement of units
Xenon Pharmaceuticals in connection with its US$287.5-million public offering of common shares
Incisive Genetics in connection with its C$12-million seed financing
Eupraxia Pharmaceuticals in connection with its C$14.7-million overnight marketed public offering of units
Zymeworks in connection with its US$115-million public offering of common shares
Trillium Therapeutics in connection with its acquisition by Pfizer for US$2.22-billion
Ouest Business Solutions in connection with its acquisition by Deloitte
Xenon Pharma in connection with its US$345-million public offering of common shares
Boreal Genomics in connection with its acquisition by Natera
iCo Therapeutics in connection with its reverse take-over transaction by Satellos Bioscience
Complex Biotech Discovery Ventures in connection with its acquisition by Delic Labs
Terry Fox Research Institute in connection with the establishment of the Digital Health and Discovery Platform
Alpha-9 Theranostics in connection with its US$11-million series A financing
NewGen Therapeutics in connection with its TSXV qualifying transaction with Rakovina Therapeutics
Vivifi Biotech, an affiliate of Parkinson's UK, in connection with its acquisition of certain assets of MedGenesis Therapeutics
Tevosol in connection with its acquisition by Bridge to Life
Essa Pharma in connection with its US$150-million public offering of common shares
Eupraxia in connection with its C$41-million initial public offering of common shares and warrants on the Toronto Stock Exchange
Xenon Pharmaceuticals in connection with its US$115-million public offering of common shares
Neovasc in connection with its US$72-million MJDS registered direct offering of common shares
Notch Therapeutics in connection with its US$85-million series A financing
adMare BioInnovations in connection with the C$20-million launch of FORUS Therapeutics
adMare BioInnovations in connection with the C$8-million seed financing of Abdera Therapeutics
A syndicate of agents in connection with the C$24.2-million private placement of subscription receipts issued by Sustainable Produce Urban Delivery
AbCellera Biologics in connection with its US$555.5-million initial public offering of common shares on NASDAQ
The underwriters in connection with the up to US$25-million at-the-market offerings of common shares by Medicenna Therapeutics
Novoheart in connection with its going private transaction
Neovasc in connection with its US$6.1-million MJDS registered direct offering of common shares
NervGen in connection with its C$6.45-million public offering of units
Neovasc in connection with its US$12.6-million MJDS registered direct offering of common shares
ESSA Pharma in connection with its US$49-million public offering of common shares
Neoleukin Therapeutics in connection with the sale of its subsidiary, Aquinox Pharma, to Taro Pharmaceutical
Neovasc in connection with its US$11.5-million MJDS registered direct offering of units
Correvio Pharma in connection with its acquisition by ADVANZ Pharma for US$76-million
Essa Pharma in connection with its up to US$35-million at-the-market common share offering
Xenon Pharmaceuticals in connection with its US$69-million public offering of common shares
Zymeworks in connection with its US$320.8-million public offering of common shares and pre-funded warrants
adMare BioInnovations in connection with its business combination with Accel-Rx
Neovasc in connection with its US$10-million MJDS registered direct offering of units
Zymeworks in connection with its US$75-million at-the-market common share offering
Xenon Pharmaceuticals in connection with its US$50-million at-the-market common share offering
ESSA in connection with its US$36-million public offering of common shares and pre-funded warrants
Zymeworks in connection with its US$201.3-million cross border prospectus offering of common shares
Centre for Drug Research and Development in connection with its business combination with NEOMED Institute to create adMare BioInnovations
Novoheart in connection with its acquisition of Xellera Therapeutics
ESSA Pharma in connection with its acquisition of Realm Therapeutics
The underwriters in connection with the US$350-million private placement of 5.25% convertible senior notes due 2024 by Aphria
Jones Brown in connection with its sale to Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.
Helius Medical in connection with its US$20.1-million MJDS prospectus offering of common shares
Jam City in connection with the acquisition of Bingo Pop from Uken Games
Xenon Pharmaceuticals in connection with its US$63-million prospectus offering of common shares
Zymeworks in connection with its US$97.8-million MJDS prospectus offering of common shares
Anandia Laboratories in connection with its acquisition by Aurora Cannabis for C$115-million in common shares
Cardiome Pharma in connection with the acquisition of its Canadian business portfolio by Cipher Pharmaceuticals for C$25.5-million pursuant to a statutory plan of arrangement
Helius Medical in connection with its US$14.1-million prospectus offering of common shares and warrants and its concurrent listing on the NASDAQ Global Select Market
Seaspan in connection with its US$500-million private placements of 5.50% debentures and warrants to Fairfax Financial Holdings
ESSA in connection with its US$26-million prospectus offering and concurrent private placement of common shares and pre-funded warrants
Neovasc in connection with its US$37.5-million underwritten offering of series A and series B units (comprised of a combination of common shares or series D pre-funded warrants, series C units and series A, B, C and F warrants to purchase common shares) and concurrent US$27.8-million private placement of notes and series E warrants to purchase common shares
The underwriters in connection with the C$11.5-million prospectus offering of units by Oncolytics Biotech
Zymeworks in connection with its US$64-million initial public offering of common shares and listing on the Toronto Stock Exchange and the New York Stock Exchange
Helius Medical in connection with its C$12.5-million MJDS prospectus offering of common shares
Trilogy International in connection with its US$875-million business combination with Alignvest Acquisition Corporation, a special purpose acquisition corporation (SPAC)
Volkswagen Financial Services AG in connection with its acquisition of PayByPhone
Neovasc in connection with the sale of its tissue business and concurrent private placement to Boston Scientific for US$75-million
Weyerhaeuser in connection with the sale of its Cellulose Fibers pulp mill in Alberta to International Paper
Response Biomedical in connection with its going-private transaction
ESSA in connection with its US$10-million term loan from Silicon Valley Bank
The underwriters in connection with the US$25.9-million prospectus offering of common shares by Xenon Pharmaceuticals and the concurrent US$8.6-million secondary offering
3D Signatures in connection with the closing of its qualifying transaction on the TSX Venture Exchange and concurrent C$5.45-million private placement of common shares
The underwriters in connection with the exchange offer of DFC Finance's US$800-million outstanding principal amount of 10.5% senior secured notes due in 2020
Opko Health in connection with its acquisition of Transition Therapeutics for US$60-million in common shares
Cardiome Pharma in connection with its US$34.5-million MJDS prospectus offering of common shares
SciVac in connection with its acquisition of VBI Vaccines for US$92.1-million in shares
Helius Medical in connection with its C$10.2-million prospectus offering and its listing on the Toronto Stock Exchange
Private company in connection with its US$25-million series C preferred share financing
ESSA Pharma in connection with its US$15-million private placement of units
Zymeworks in connection with its US$61.5-million mezzanine preferred share financing
Zymeworks in connection with its equity investment and optional merger agreement with Kairos Therapeutics
Cardiome Pharma in connection with its up to US$20-million prospectus offering
CPI Card Group in connection with its US$150-million initial public offering of common shares, concurrent US$22.5-million secondary offering, and listing on the Toronto Stock Exchange and NASDAQ Global Select Market
Cardiome Pharma in connection with its US$23-million prospectus offering of common shares
VRG Capital in connection with its backing of a management buy-out of Jones Brown, and the subsequent acquisition of Pearson Dunn Insurance
UrtheCast in connection with the C$100-million acquisition of the Earth Observation business of Elecnor and its concurrent prospectus offering of C$100-million of subscription receipts
SciVac in connection with its reverse take-over transaction of Levon Resources with an aggregate transaction value of C$356-million and its listing on the Toronto Stock Exchange
The underwriters in connection with the US$55.2-million prospectus offering of common shares by Trillium Therapeutics
Urthecast in connection with its C$17.25-million prospectus offering of common shares
Neovasc in connection with its US$74.9-million MJDS prospectus offering of common shares and the concurrent US$11.9-million secondary prospectus offering
Zymeworks in connection with its C$27-million private placement and the expansion of its strategic collaboration with Eli Lilly and Company
The underwriters in connection with the US$41.4-million initial public offering of common shares by Xenon Pharmaceuticals and its listing on the NASDAQ Global Select Market
Neovasc in connection with its C$25-million prospectus offering of common shares
The underwriters in connection with the US$60-million prospectus offering of common shares by Tekmira Pharmaceuticals
The underwriters in connection with the US$53-million initial public offering of common shares by Aquinox Pharmaceuticals and its listing on the NASDAQ Global Select Market
Cardiome Pharma in connection with its C$15-million prospectus offering of common shares and the concurrent C$15-million secondary prospectus offering
Cardiome Pharma in connection with its C$30-million at-the-market prospectus offering of common shares
The agent in connection with the US$52-million private placement of units of Aurinia Pharmaceuticals
Aequus Pharmaceuticals in connection with its private placement, prospectus filing and direct listing on the TSX Venture Exchange
ESSA Pharma in connection with its private placement, prospectus filing and direct listing on the TSX Venture Exchange
iCo Therapeutics in connection with its C$6.75-million prospectus offering of common shares
UrtheCast in connection with its C$10-million prospectus offering of common shares
Cardiome Pharma in connection with its cross-border acquisition of Correvio
Response Biomedical in connection with its private placement of subscription receipts
GenomeDx Biosciences in connection with its series B preferred share financing
Boreal Genomics in connection with its series C preferred share financing
UrtheCast in connection with its reverse takeover transaction of Longford Energy, concurrent financing and listing on the Toronto Stock Exchange
enGene in connection with its series A preferred share financing
Aspreva Pharmaceuticals in connection with its acquisition by Galenica for US$950-million
ID Biomedical in connection with its acquisition by GlaxoSmithKline for C$1.7-billion

Awards & Recognition

Joseph has received the following awards:

Canadian Financial & Transactional Attorney of the Year – LMG Life Sciences Awards 2018
Visionary Leadership – BIOTECanada Gold Leaf Awards 2015
Partner/Advisor of the Year – LifeSciences BC Awards 2015
Canadian Financial & Transactional Attorney of the Year – LMG Life Sciences Awards 2015

Joseph is also featured as a leading lawyer in numerous publications including:

The Best Lawyers in Canada 2024 (Biotechnology and Life Sciences Practice, Corporate Law, Corporate Governance Practice, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Securities Law)
IFLR1000: The Guide to the World's Leading Financial Law Firms 2023 (Capital Markets: Equity, Mergers & Acquisitions)
Lexpert Special Edition: Technology and Health Sciences 2023
Who's Who Legal: Global 2023 (Life Sciences – Transactional)
The Best Lawyers in Canada 2022 – Lawyer of the Year (Biotechnology – Vancouver)
Chambers Canada: Canada's Leading Lawyers for Business 2022 (Life Sciences, Corporate and Commercial - Band 1)
The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory 2022 (Life Sciences and Health, Mergers & Acquisitions, Corporate Finance & Securities, Corporate Commercial, Technology Transactions, Private Equity and Corporate Mid-Market)
IFLR1000: The Guide to the World's Leading Financial Law Firms 2022 (Capital Markets: Equity, Mergers & Acquisitions)
LMG Life Sciences: The Definitive Guide to the Leading Life Sciences Firms and Attorneys in North America 2022 (Star Attorney in Canada)
The 2017 Lexpert Guide to the Leading US/Canada Cross-Border Corporate Lawyers in Canada (Corporate Finance and Securities)

Professional Activities

Joseph has lectured extensively on corporate governance and advanced securities law topics. He has chaired The Continuing Legal Education Society of British Columbia Corporate Governance courses in 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2020 and 2022, and participated in the advanced securities law courses from 2007–2009, 2011 and from 2013–2015.

Joseph is a director of Science World and director emeritus of LifeSciences BC. He is a former director of the Canadian Glycomics Network and Genome BC and a member of the BIOTECanada Legal Affairs Advisory Board and the Canadian Bar Association.