ies , ▁the ▁largest ▁producer ▁of ▁sw ine ▁flu ▁v acc ine ▁in ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Government ' s ▁ill - f ated ▁mass ▁imm un ization ▁program ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 6 ▁and ▁the ▁sole ▁source ▁of ▁the ▁yellow ▁fe ver ▁v acc ine ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁ ▁The ▁expansion ▁consisted ▁of ▁a ▁three - way ▁deal ▁between ▁Con n aught ▁Labor ator ies ▁Ltd ., ▁Richard son - Mer rell ▁Inc ., ▁and ▁the ▁S alk ▁Institute ▁for ▁Bi ological ▁Studies . ▁The ▁S alk ▁Institute ▁would ▁take ▁over ▁the ▁entire ty ▁of ▁Rich ar son - Mer rell ' s ▁research ▁and ▁production ▁plant ▁as ▁the ▁company ▁ex ited ▁the ▁market . ▁Con n aught ▁would ▁ac quire ▁the ▁v acc ine ▁manufact uring ▁facilities ▁from ▁the ▁S alk ▁Institute . ▁ ▁Priv at ization ▁and ▁sale ▁to ▁Institut ▁M érie ux ▁ ▁By ▁ 1 9 8 4 , ▁government ▁enter prise ▁had ▁become ▁unf ashion able ▁under ▁Brian ▁Mul r oney ▁and ▁the ▁CD C ▁was ▁sold ▁to ▁the ▁private ▁sector . ▁Its ▁hold ings , ▁including ▁Con n aught , ▁were ▁sold ▁through ▁two ▁public ▁issues ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 4 ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 7 . ▁As ▁the ▁shares ▁were ▁sold ▁off , ▁" CD C ▁Life ▁Sciences ▁Inc ." ▁by ▁which ▁Con n aught ▁was ▁renamed ▁" Con n aught ▁B ios ci ences ▁Inc ." ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 8 . ▁ ▁In ▁April ▁