Merck agrees to acquire Bio-Techne, strengthening leadership in life sciences markets
- Jul 5
- 2 min read
25 June 2026
Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, a leading science and technology company, and Bio-Techne Corporation, a Minneapolis-based global provider of life science tools, analytical technologies, and consumables, entered into a definitive agreement under which Merck KGaA will acquire Bio-Techne for US$73 per share in cash, representing a total enterprise value of approximately US$11.3 billion (EUR 9.9 billion). This amount represents a 36% premium to Bio-Techne’s one-month volume weighted average trading price, indicative of Merck's faith in Bio-Techne’s assets and potential for growth.
The transaction would allow to combine complementary products and services to support customers across the full spectrum of life science workflows. Bio-Techne would notably bring to Merck KGaA its high-value portfolio that includes cytokines, growth factors, antibodies, immunoassay kits, automated protein detection and analysis instruments, cell culture devices, and in situ hybridization technologies, thus expanding and strengthening Merck KGaA's analytical, multi-omics, spatial biology, cell and gene therapy, and diagnostics capabilities.
“This transaction is an important milestone towards delivering on our mid- to long-term strategic agenda. Bio-Techne is an outstanding fit that directly supports our strategic direction focused on delivering cutting-edge products and solutions across the entire industry value chain – from lab customers to those manufacturing in the biotech and pharmaceutical industries,” said Kai Beckmann, Chairman of the Executive Board and Group CEO of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany. “By combining Bio-Techne’s scientific depth, innovation engine and differentiated portfolio with the global scale, manufacturing excellence and customer reach of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, we are in a strong position to address some of the most important opportunities in life sciences and support our customers in accelerating the next generation of scientific discovery and therapeutic innovation. This positions us to deliver compelling strategic and financial benefits for shareholders, customers and employees.”
“For 50 years, Bio-Techne has enabled scientific breakthroughs across proteomics, spatial biology, and novel therapeutics,” said Kim Kelderman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Bio-Techne. “This transaction is a testament to the remarkable company our team has built and to the enduring value we create for our customers and stakeholders. As part of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, we will have greater scale and expanded capabilities to accelerate innovation and deepen our impact. Together, we will empower our customers to tackle the most important challenges in science and healthcare, helping to improve outcomes worldwide.”
Over the past two decades, Merck KGaA has invested more than US$35 billion (EUR 30 billion) through inorganic growth, with acquisitions such as Millipore in 2010, Sigma-Aldrich in 2015, Versum in 2019, and SpringWorks Therapeutics in 2025. In anticipation of high growth of organoid technologies, and as a part of its strategy of building a vertically integrated life-science ecosystem, Merck KGaA has also acquired HUB Organoids Holding B.V. in 2024, strengthening its translational research and drug discovery offering.
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