Actelion’s R&D will spin out as a new company, while Janssen will take on in-market and late-stage medicines

Healthcare conglomerate Johnson & Johnson (J&J) has agreed to buy Swiss firm Actelion for $30 billion (£24 billion) in cash.

J&J’s pharmaceutical arm, Janssen, will take control of Actelion’s portfolio of marketed medicines and late-stage development pipeline. That includes a family of blood pressure drugs, as well as an antibiotic and a multiple sclerosis treatment that are in Phase III trials.

However, the early-stage R&D projects will be spun out in a new company, with CHF1 billion (£808 million) of starting funds and led by Actelion’s existing chairman and chief executive. J&J will hold a 16% share of the new firm, with the rest divided between Actelion’s existing shareholders.

As Business editor, Phillip's aim is to highlight to readers the exciting and innovative chemistry going on in the commercial sector, as well as keeping them abreast of trends and developments in the world of chemistry businesses.View full profile

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