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Financial buyer for JM Health business

Johnson Matthey (JM) has agreed to sell the majority of its Health business to Altaris Capital Partners, an investment firm focused exclusively on the healthcare industry, for £325 million enterprise value, or 9.8 x EBITDA in the 12 months to 30 September 2021. Completion is anticipated in mid-2022, subject to regulatory approvals.

Wacker’s new SDGs revealed

Wacker Chemie has presented its new sustainable development goals (SDGs) at its latest online capital market day. These are based on the ‘Science-Based Targets’, in line with the goal of keeping the global rise in temperature below 1.5°C as per the UN ‘Race to Zero’, which Wacker has joined.

“We have spent the last few months scrutinising our product portfolio and production processes. Our goals take us to the limit of what we consider to be technically feasible and achievable,” said CEO Christian Hartel.

CordenPharma buys Vifor sites

CDMO CordenPharma has acquired the finished drug product manufacturing business of Vifor Pharma Group, which is refocusing its manufacturing on nephrology and iron deficiency. This comprises sites at Fribourg and Ettingen in Switzerland, and Lisbon, Portugal. Terms were not disclosed. The deal is expected to close in Q1 2022.

Sumitomo Chemical reorganises labs

Sumitomo Chemical is to start a full-scale study on reorganising three of its research laboratories in Japan. The company described this as “part of its efforts to accelerate the creation of next-generation businesses”.

The plan includes building a new facility at Osaka as a base for incubation and open innovation by Q3 2024. This has research capabilities in safety assessment, industrial technologies and business sector-led projects in ICT and life sciences.

Seqens confirms changed ownership

CDMO Seqens has confirmed that its planned change of ownership has been completed, with SK Capital, a private investment firm focused on the specialty materials, chemicals and pharmaceuticals sectors, becoming the majority shareholder.

New R&D base for James Robinson

James Robinson Speciality Ingredients (JRSI) has launched a dedicated 186 m2 biotechnology R&D facility in Manchester. The Biotome division “will significantly extend the company’s research capabilities and production capacity, as it looks to explore more sustainable biotechnology ingredients”, JRSI said.

CEFIC releases CSS impact report

CEFIC has released the first in a series of studies about the likely impact of the EU Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability (CSS). It subsequently joined other industry leaders in calling on European Commission and EU Member State governments “to work together to develop an EU Chemical Industry Transition Pathway to sustain the massive investments required to meet the objectives of the EU Green Deal”.

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