Last month, Novartis opened its $1.2 billion vaccine plant in Holly Springs. This week, it paid $120 million to get access to Relaxin, a drug that helps patients at risk of heart failure.
To get the drug, which is in the third phase of clinical testing, Novartis will buy Corthera, a California company.
The acquisition must be approved by regulators. Novartis wants to bring the drug to market in the United States and Europe by 2013, Bloomberg News reports. That's the same year, it hopes to begin commercial production of vaccines in Holly Springs.
Mary Cornatzer has worked at The News & Observer for more than 25 years, covering the local music industry, state movie industry and travel. She has been the paper's Business editor since 2000. Contact Mary at 919-829-4755 or