Japan's Fujifilm is expanding its drug business in a deal to buy two of Merck's contract manufacturing facilities, according to Fierce Pharma.

Fujifilm is buying the Merck BioManufacturing Network and its biologics plants in North Carolina and Northeast England in an acquisition worth $490 million.  Merck will no longer focus on the contract biologics business, although the company will continue to perform some development and manufacturing services for Fujifilm. The deal will allow Fujifilm further expansion into medicine and pharma.