Fujifilm Invests In Medical Materials

Fujifilm has acquired a 41% stake in Tokyo-listed Japan Tissue Engineering (J-Tec), a firm that aims to develop tissue-engineered medical materials. On the basis of J-Tec’s current stock price, Fujifilm’s acquisition is worth $47 million. The photographic-film maker says it has been researching the regeneration of malfunctioning tissues and organs on its own as a way to diversify its business, recognizing that digital technology is making its traditonal photographic-film business obsolete. Fujifilm expects that several more years of research are needed before the two firms can develop practical materials together.