(Reuters) -Moderna Inc on Wednesday agreed to buy Japan-based OriCiro Genomics for $85 million to boost the U.S. drugmaker's messenger RNA (mRNA) manufacturing capabilities.
The Japanese company is working on the development and commercialization of cell-free synthesis and amplification of a type of DNA molecule for use in mRNA manufacturing.
OriCiro's technologies will support Moderna (NASDAQ:MRNA)'s portfolio of therapeutics and vaccines, the companies said.
Moderna's mRNA technology has been used in developing COVID-19 vaccines.
Last month, an experimental cancer vaccine from Moderna based on the technology was shown to work against melanoma, a type of skin cancer.