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J&J to buy Crucell for $2.3bn
Johnson & Johnson is in advanced talks to buy biotechnology firm Crucell to boost vaccine development and manufacturing capacity.
US healthcare major J&J, which bought an 18 percent stake in Crucell last year, said the Dutch firm’s strength in the manufacture, discovery and commercialization of vaccines would create a strong platform for it in the market.
J&J expects to pay around €1.75bn ($2.3bn) in cash for Leiden, the Netherlands-headquartered Crucell, but did not disclose when the deal would be completed.
At this stage it is unclear what impact, if any, the acquisition will have on the numerous licensing agreements Crucell has with biomanufacturers that use the PER.C6 cell line technology it developed in partnership with DSM.
