Johnson & Johnson has agreed to acquire Pennsylvania-based Novira Therapeutics, a biopharmaceutical company working on a potential cure for patients with chronic hepatitis B infection.

Novira, founded in 2009, offers new drug candidate, NVR 3-778, a small-molecule, oral antiviral medicine.

J&J’s Novira buy is the company's second significant hepatitis-related deal in recent months. In May, J&J's Janssen announced a potential $1.1 billion collaboration with Connecticut-based Achillion Pharmaceuticals to to develop and commercialize one or more of Achillion's lead hepatitis C virus assets

The financial terms of the Novira deal were not disclosed. J&J expects the deal to close during the fourth quarter of 2015.

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