Johnson & Johnson may sell the global trauma business of its DePuy unit to Biomet Inc for $280m (€210m) in cash to remove a regulatory obstacle to its planned purchase of Synthes Inc.

SHARES in Irish pharmaceutical firm Elan rose 20c, or nearly 4%, yesterday after it successfully fixed its Tysabri collaboration breach with Biogen Idec, by renegotiating its equity sale deal with Johnson & Johnson (J&J).

THE IDA was cleared to give a €48.25 million grant to Johnson & Johnson’s new Cork plant, Centocor, by the European Commission yesterday.