Merck KGaA  is best known for being a major player in the pharmaceutical space.  More specifically, the company is a multinational chemical, pharmaceutical and life sciences company headquartered in Darmstadt, Germany, that boasts over 40,000 employees spread across 70+ countries worldwide.

For those of us involved the stem cell world, Sigma-Aldrich is best known as a provider of research products and reagents. The company offers a diverse suite of stem cell specific research products, including a complete line of stem cell products for embryonic stem cell (ESC) and induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) research, as well as mesenchymal stem cell research, neural stem cell reagents, and more.

However, Sigma-Aldrich is actuallydiversified as well. It is an American multinational chemical, life science, and biotechnology company, headquartered in St. Louis, MO. It has nearly 10,000 employees spread across more than 40 countries worldwide and is an honored member of the Fortune 1000, a list of the 1000 largest American companies, ranked by revenue.

Previously announced in September of 2014, Merck KGaA stated it would acquire Sigma-Aldrich for $17.0 billion. However, the deal required approval from national regulatory agencies within Europe before it could become official. Specifically, the board of directors for Sigma-Aldrich approved an agreement under which Merck KGaA would acquire Sigma-Aldrich for $140.00 per share in cash. At that time, it was unknown when the deal would close, although a mid-2015 timeline was loosely anticipated.

In major news released today, November 18, 2015, Merck KGaA has announced that it has completed its acquisition of Sigma-Aldrich Corporation for $140 per share, a deal valued at $17.0 billion. 

For those unfamiliar with the history of Merck KGaA, EMD Millipore is an American-based subsidiary of its German parent company, Merck KGaA. It is known as Merck Millipore outside the United States and Canada.

Therefore, EMD Millipore and Sigma-Aldrich will now be one organization within Merck KGaA, which will be known as “MilliporeSigma” within the U.S. and Canada.

As the deal is valued at approximately $17 billion, it is a massive acquisition with the life science sector. The completed deal resulted from recent approvals provided by the European Commission, which was the last remaining antitrust condition necessary to allow Sigma-Aldrich to become a fully owned business unit of Merck KGaA. Importantly, Merck KGaA will now offer a diverse portfolio of more than 300,000 products, making it the leading player in a $130 billion global life science industry.

Congratulations to all involved with this massive transaction and here’s to hoping the it will continue to emphasize the development of new and progressive stem cell research products and reagents.

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