Fujifilm Acquisition Promises to Fast-Track Plans to Expand Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization Business

The ambr250 technology as part of Fujifilm's Saturn mAb solutions. (Image Courtesy of Fujifilm.)

Fujifilm Corp. has hit the acquisition trail to fast-track the expansion of its Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization business.

The company recently confirmed that it has reached a deal to buy Biogen (Denmark) Manufacturing Aps (Biogen Hillerød) from Biogen Inc. for around US$890 million in cash. Biogen Hillerød is a large-scale biologics manufacturing site located in Hillerød, which is about a half-hour car ride from Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark.

After the deal closes, Biogen Hillerød will boost Fujifilm’s biopharmaceutical contract development and manufacturing site tally to four. There are presently around 800 workers at the site, and Fujifilm confirmed that it intends to retain them.

Biogen Hillerød has six 15,000L bioreactors that are used to manufacture cell culture derived biologics. Fujifilm said that the facility will greatly grow its capacity and capabilities as well as give the company the ability to facilitate large production volumes.

This will complement the current manufacturing model implemented under Fujifilm’s Saturn mAb services that provide a streamlined and cost-effective approach for the development and manufacture of monoclonal antibodies.

Infographic about Fujifilm's new Saturn mAb platform offering. (Image Courtesy of Fujifilm.)

For Fujifilm, the deal underscores the company’s focus on accomplishing its strategy to support projects from the pre-clinical stage through to the commercialization stage with assets capable of delivering production volumes ranging from small to large.

"At Fujifilm, our goal has always been to bring new value to society, through innovation and the creation of new technologies, products, and services,” remarked Shigetaka Komori, chairman and CEO of Fujifilm, in a statement. “We are pleased to contribute to the growing healthcare industry through this investment. This significant investment demonstrates our continued commitment to grow the Bio Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization business and become an industry leader by combining resources of Biogen Hillerød and Fujifilm."

The deal is expected to wrap up around Aug. 9, subject to customary closing conditions.

Speaking of acquisitions, check out the following link to read up on what was recently reported to be the largest-ever acquisition in the software space.