Janssen Biotech
A Johnson & Johnson biotechnology company specializing in biologic medicines and antibody-based therapies.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Janssen Biotech is a biotechnology-focused pharmaceutical company within Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen organization, now associated with Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine. Its roots date to 1979, when Centocor Biotech was established in Philadelphia to develop diagnostic assays using monoclonal-antibody technology. The company’s original emphasis on antibodies and immune-system biology later provided the foundation for a broader biologics business, including therapeutic antibodies for inflammatory, autoimmune, cardiovascular, and oncological diseases. Centocor became publicly traded in 1982 and expanded its operations in the United States and Europe. It moved its principal operations to Malvern, Pennsylvania, opened an overseas facility in Leiden in 1984, and obtained its first U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval that year for a diagnostic test for rabies. In 1998, it sold its diagnostic division to Fujirebio and concentrated more heavily on therapeutic biotechnology. The company’s most important commercial breakthrough was Remicade, or infliximab, a monoclonal antibody initially approved in 1998 for Crohn’s disease. Its indications subsequently expanded to rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis, ulcerative colitis, pediatric Crohn’s disease, and plaque psoriasis. Remicade helped establish antibody medicines as a major commercial and clinical platform for treating chronic inflammatory disorders. Johnson & Johnson acquired Centocor as a wholly owned subsidiary in 1999. Centocor later acquired or developed additional manufacturing capacity, including a plant in St. Louis and expanded facilities in the Netherlands and Ireland. In 2008, Centocor merged with Ortho Biotech to form Centocor Ortho Biotech. In June 2011, the business adopted the Janssen Biotech name as part of Johnson & Johnson’s effort to unify its pharmaceutical companies under the Janssen identity. The renamed company continued to focus on biologic medicines, immunology, oncology, and collaborations involving emerging therapeutic technologies. Janssen Biotech has worked with external biotechnology companies on antibody medicines, cancer therapies, antisense technology, and other drug-discovery programs. Examples include collaborations with Medarex on Simponi, MacroGenics on bispecific or immune-cell-engaging cancer candidates, Ionis Pharmaceuticals on RNA-targeting medicines for gastrointestinal autoimmune conditions, and XBiotech on the IL-1-alpha antibody bermekimab. The wider Janssen organization has also participated in vaccine research, including pandemic influenza programs with the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority and COVID-19 vaccine development through Johnson & Johnson. The company’s portfolio and corporate identity have evolved alongside Johnson & Johnson’s broader pharmaceutical restructuring. Janssen Biotech is not an independently listed company; its activities sit within Johnson & Johnson’s pharmaceutical operations. Its historic contribution is particularly associated with therapeutic monoclonal antibodies and the development and commercialization of Remicade, while its broader business has covered immunology, oncology, and specialty biologic medicines. Public information about the company’s standalone present-day management, financial results, and operating footprint is limited because it functions as part of a larger corporate group.
History
Janssen Biotech began in 1979 as Centocor Biotech, a Philadelphia-based venture created to apply monoclonal-antibody science to diagnostic testing. Its early work focused on assays rather than marketed medicines. In 1982, Centocor became a public company, and it expanded internationally during the following decade, including the establishment of a Dutch operation in Leiden in 1984. Its first FDA-approved product was a rabies diagnostic test approved in 1984. The business changed direction toward therapeutic biotechnology as antibody research matured. In 1998, Centocor launched Remicade, an infliximab antibody, after its initial approval for Crohn’s disease. The product became a foundational therapy in the treatment of inflammatory disease, later receiving approvals in additional rheumatology, gastroenterology, and dermatology indications. In the same period, Centocor sold its diagnostic division to Fujirebio, allowing it to focus resources on therapeutic products and biologics. Johnson & Johnson acquired Centocor in 1999 and integrated it into its pharmaceutical operations. During the early 2000s, the company expanded manufacturing and development capacity. It acquired a manufacturing site in St. Louis, developed a facility in County Cork, Ireland, and enlarged its Dutch production operations. In 2008, Centocor combined with Ortho Biotech, creating Centocor Ortho Biotech. The merged organization brought together businesses with complementary positions in biologic medicines, oncology, nephrology, and specialty pharmaceuticals. The company also used partnerships and acquisitions to broaden its research base. In 2007, it sponsored Innerstate, a theatrical documentary associated with the promotion of Remicade. In 2010, it acquired RespiVert, a private drug-discovery company developing inhaled small-molecule treatments for pulmonary disease. In 2011, Centocor Ortho Biotech was renamed Janssen Biotech, aligning it with Johnson & Johnson’s worldwide Janssen identity. After the rebranding, Janssen Biotech continued to pursue external collaborations. It worked with MacroGenics on immune-related cancer candidates, including programs directed at CD19 and CD3, and with Ionis Pharmaceuticals on antisense medicines for autoimmune gastrointestinal disorders. It also became connected to the acquisition of bermekimab from XBiotech and to broader Janssen vaccine and pandemic-preparedness work. These activities reflected a strategy that combined internal biologics expertise with external platforms and early-stage biotechnology partnerships. Janssen Biotech’s history also includes significant legal and reputational challenges associated with the marketing of Risperdal. U.S. authorities alleged that Johnson & Johnson and Janssen promoted the antipsychotic for an unapproved use in elderly patients and used improper financial inducements in dealings involving nursing-home pharmacy services. The matter produced state actions, a federal settlement process, and continuing scrutiny of pharmaceutical marketing practices. Today, Janssen Biotech is best understood as a corporate biotechnology business within Johnson & Johnson rather than as a separately traded pharmaceutical company. Its historic identity is closely tied to Centocor, therapeutic monoclonal antibodies, and Remicade. Its operations and products are increasingly presented within Johnson & Johnson’s broader Janssen or Innovative Medicine structure, making standalone information about current executives, financial performance, and independent corporate reporting limited.
- 2020
COVID-19 vaccine development funding
[1]BARDA allocates funding to Johnson & Johnson and Janssen for development of a COVID-19 vaccine.
- 2011
Janssen Biotech identity adopted
[1]Centocor Ortho Biotech changes its name to Janssen Biotech as part of global brand consolidation.
- 2008
Centocor Ortho Biotech is formed
[1]Centocor and Ortho Biotech merge within Johnson & Johnson.
- 1999
Johnson & Johnson acquisition
[1]Centocor becomes a wholly owned Johnson & Johnson subsidiary.
- 1998
Remicade launches
[1]Infliximab is introduced for Crohn’s disease and later expands into several inflammatory conditions.
- 1984
First FDA-approved product
[1]Centocor receives FDA approval for a diagnostic test used to detect rabies virus.
- 1982
Centocor becomes publicly traded
[1]Centocor enters the public market as it develops its biotechnology and diagnostic operations.
- 1979
Centocor Biotech is founded
[1]The company is established in Philadelphia to develop diagnostic assays using monoclonal-antibody technology.
Products and positioning
Research-driven biotechnology and specialty medicines, with historical strength in therapeutic antibodies, immunology, and biologic treatments for serious or chronic disease.
Monoclonal antibody · 1998
Remicade
Remicade, whose active ingredient is infliximab, is a chimeric monoclonal antibody that blocks tumor necrosis factor alpha. It was first approved for Crohn’s disease and subsequently gained indications across gastroenterology, rheumatology, and dermatology, including rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis, ulcerative colitis, pediatric Crohn’s disease, and plaque psoriasis. The product became the company’s defining biologic and an important early commercial example of antibody-based treatment for chronic immune-mediated disease.
Monoclonal antibody · 2009
Simponi
Simponi is the brand name for golimumab, a human monoclonal antibody developed with Medarex. It targets tumor necrosis factor alpha and is used in approved indications involving inflammatory and rheumatic disease. Its development extended Janssen’s anti-inflammatory antibody portfolio beyond infliximab and demonstrated the company’s use of external biotechnology collaboration in bringing biologic medicines forward.
Cardiovascular biologic
ReoPro
ReoPro, or abciximab, is a biologic antiplatelet agent used as an adjunct to percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty. It reflects Centocor’s early expansion from diagnostic antibodies into therapeutic products in cardiovascular medicine.
Investigational monoclonal antibody
Bermekimab
Bermekimab is an antibody directed against interleukin-1 alpha. XBiotech announced in 2019 that it would sell the treatment to Janssen Biotech. The program illustrates Janssen’s interest in acquiring external antibody assets for potential use in inflammatory and other serious diseases.
Controversies
2012
Risperdal promotion and kickback allegations
U.S. authorities alleged that Johnson & Johnson and Janssen promoted Risperdal for an unapproved use in elderly patients despite safety concerns and provided improper payments or incentives connected with nursing-home pharmacy distribution. The wider matter involved federal and state proceedings and a provisional settlement reported at approximately $2.3 billion. The allegations and settlement concerned the broader Johnson & Johnson and Janssen organization, rather than an independently reported Janssen Biotech operation.
Marketing campaigns
- 2007Innerstate
United States
Centocor released Innerstate, a theatrically distributed documentary created and funded by a pharmaceutical company and associated with education and promotion around Remicade.
Outcome. The project was described as an unusual example of pharmaceutical-sponsored theatrical documentary production.
Brand decisions
2011
Global Janssen rebrandingStrategyBackground
Johnson & Johnson was consolidating its pharmaceutical companies under a more consistent worldwide identity.
Action taken
Centocor Ortho Biotech was renamed Janssen Biotech.
Aftermath
The Centocor heritage continued within the Janssen brand architecture and the Johnson & Johnson pharmaceutical group.
2010
Acquisition of RespiVertM&ABackground
RespiVert specialized in discovery of inhaled small-molecule treatments for pulmonary diseases.
Action taken
Centocor Ortho Biotech acquired the privately held company.
Aftermath
The transaction broadened the organization’s research interests into pulmonary therapies.
2008
Merger with Ortho BiotechM&ABackground
Johnson & Johnson sought to coordinate related pharmaceutical businesses and specialty-medicine capabilities.
Action taken
Centocor and Ortho Biotech were combined as Centocor Ortho Biotech.
Aftermath
The merged business operated as a broader specialty-pharmaceutical organization before adopting the Janssen Biotech name.
1999
Integration into Johnson & JohnsonM&ABackground
Centocor required the resources and global infrastructure of a larger pharmaceutical group to expand its biologics platform.
Action taken
Johnson & Johnson made Centocor a wholly owned subsidiary.
Aftermath
Centocor gained access to Johnson & Johnson’s international development, manufacturing, and commercial network.
1998
Commercial launch of RemicadeProduct launchBackground
Centocor had shifted from its original diagnostic focus toward therapeutic monoclonal antibodies and immune-mediated disease.
Action taken
The company launched infliximab after its initial approval for Crohn’s disease and pursued additional indications.
Aftermath
Remicade became the company’s signature biologic and expanded into several inflammatory conditions.
Recent events
Dyadic and Janssen announce research, license and collaboration agreement[3]
Reported:
Dyadic announced that it entered into a research, license and collaboration agreement with Janssen for use of Dyadic’s C1 platform to develop production cell lines for Janssen therapeutic protein candidates.
- Unconfirmed
FDA approves Kyprolis combination regimen for multiple myeloma[4]
Reported:
The FDA approved a combination regimen of carfilzomib (Kyprolis), subcutaneous daratumumab and dexamethasone for adults with multiple myeloma who had received up to three previous lines of therapy.
Philochem enters small-molecule discovery collaboration with Janssen[5]
Reported:
Philogen announced that its wholly owned Swiss subsidiary, Philochem, entered into a collaboration and option agreement with Janssen Biotech to discover small molecules using Philochem's lead-generation technologies. Janssen may exercise options to use identified ligands in further drug discovery and development.
Mestag Therapeutics and Janssen enter target discovery and licensing agreement[6]
Reported:
Mestag Therapeutics announced a target discovery, option and license agreement with Janssen Biotech focused on identifying therapeutic targets in inflammatory disease.
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