BioCentury
ARTICLE | Strategy

Actelion, take two

Why fiercely independent Swiss bellwether Actelion agreed to sell to J&J

February 4, 2017 3:07 AM UTC

After surviving takeover attempts, an investor mutiny and a make-or-break gamble on Opsumit macitentan, Actelion Ltd. co-founder and CEO Jean-Paul Clozel finally took a deal management couldn’t refuse.

Johnson & Johnson’s proposed $30 billion acquisition provides shareholders with a handsome return while giving Clozel and his team the opportunity to continue doing R&D...