CMS and Ashurst have taken lead roles on the merger of two of the NHS's biggest landlords, which could create a business worth £2.3bn.

FTSE 250 firm Primary Health Properties (PHP) and MedicX operate a combined real estate portfolio of 500 properties in the UK and Ireland, including GP surgeries, pharmacies and dentistry offices.

PHP is being advised by a CMS team led by London-based client relationship partner Glyn Taylor alongside corporate partner Jack Shepherd.

Other partners on the team include co-head of competition Brian Sher and asset finance partner Andrew McLean.

Ashurst is advising Medicx on the transaction. Corporate partner Tom Mercer is leading the Ashurst team with support from corporate partner Tara Waters, competition partner Ross Mackenzie, real estate finance partner Jessica Jenner and employment partner Ruth Buchanan.

Stephenson Harwood is advising Nexus – which provides property management, administrative and advisory services to PHP – on the deal, while Octopus Healthcare, MedicX's existing investment adviser, is being advised by US firm Morgan Lewis & Bockius.

Other deals CMS has advised PHP on include its acquisition of healthcare real estate company Prime Public Partnerships for £41.1m in 2013.

In December, the transatlantic joint venture of pharma giants GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and Pfizer valued at £9.8bn created legal roles for magic circle firms Slaughter and May and Clifford Chance, and US firms Wachtell Lipton Rosen & Katz and Kirkland & Ellis.