Engineering Technician

Bio-Techne has launched new additions to its R&D Systems AI-Engineered Designer Protein portfolio, aimed at improving reproducibility and performance in advanced cell culture and cell therapy development. The platform uses artificial intelligence to design protein-based solutions that address variability and scalability challenges in cell culture. The technology enhances protein characteristics such as heat stability, activity, and solubility, which are critical as cell therapies and organoid systems scale towards clinical and commercial applications. The expanded portfolio includes hyperactive cytokines, heat-stable growth factors, and signalling pathway agonists supporting stem cell culture, organoid development, and regenerative medicine workflows. Dr Branden Moriarity from the University of Minnesota noted that the IL-2 Heat Stable Agonist Protein shows promising results in patient-derived tumour-infiltrating lymphocyte samples whilst reducing costs for TIL therapies.

Merck KGaA's $11.3 billion Bio-Techne buy bolsters CGT ambitions in biggest deal since 2014. German life sciences and pharmaceuticals conglomerate Merck KGaA announced Thursday it has struck a definitive agreement to acquire U.S. research tools provider Bio-Techne Corp. (NASDAQ: TECH) for $11.3 billion in cash, marking its largest life sciences takeover since the 2014 Sigma-Aldrich purchase and sharpening its bet on the fast-growing cell and gene therapy sector. Under the deal terms, Merck will pay $73 per share for Bio-Techne, representing a 24% premium to the target's Wednesday closing price and a 36% premium to its 30-day volume-weighted average price. The transaction is the first major acquisition under chief executive Kai Beckmann, who assumed the top role in May, and extends a years-long strategy of scaling the group's life sciences division into its primary growth driver. The buyout announcement ignited a sharp rally in Bio-Techne shares, which closed 20.02% higher at $70.67 on Thursday. The narrow spread to the offer price reflects broad market confidence the transaction will clear regulatory review. Trading volume surged to 51.3 million shares, roughly 1,378% above the stock's three-month daily average of 3.5 million. Peer life sciences tools names also advanced: Danaher Corp. finished up 2.31%, while Repligen Corp. gained 4.93%. Strategically, the acquisition stitches together an end-to-end cell and gene therapy (CGT) value chain for Merck. Bio-Techne's sprawling portfolio covers research reagents, recombinant proteins, analytical instruments and GMP-grade bioprocessing materials, anchored by a catalog of more than 6,000 proteins and 425,000 antibodies used across drug discovery and commercial manufacturing. Those assets will plug directly into Merck's existing capabilities in mRNA production and CGT process development, creating a fully integrated platform from lab bench to clinical-scale biomanufacturing. "Bio-Techne brings unmatched scale to our reagent portfolio and is a huge, huge plus for our customers," Jean-Charles Wirth, CEO of Merck's Life Science sector, said on a media call. Merck forecasts approximately €140 million in annualized cost synergies to be fully realized within three years of closing, which would add roughly 5% to its bottom line based on 2025 net income of around $3 billion. The company intends to fund the acquisition through a combination of cash reserves and new debt, and confirmed it will maintain its investment-grade credit rating. The deal, already approved by both companies' boards, is on track to close in late 2026 or early 2027. Wall Street analysts broadly characterize the combination as a strong strategic fit with limited antitrust risk. Puneet Souda, an analyst at Leerink Partners, wrote in a client note that Merck is securing "an attractive asset with strong long-term potential" even amid near-term pressures in the research tools market. The transaction lands against a backdrop of resurgent global healthcare M&A, with more than $419 billion in deals completed year-to-date in 2026 - the strongest pace since 2021. Under former CEO Belén Garijo, Merck laid the groundwork for its expansion with a series of targeted buys including Exelead, Mirus Bio and SpringWorks Therapeutics, strengthening its positions in mRNA, CGT and rare disease therapies.

Merck expands life science portfolio with $11.3 billion Bio-Techne deal. Bio-Techne to bring portfolio with industry-leading multi-omics offering, analytical technologies and integrated workflow solutions across the scientific journey. 26-Jun-2026 "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. Merck and Bio-Techne Corporation, a Minneapolis-based global provider of life science tools, analytical technologies, and consumables, entered into a definitive agreement pursuant to which Merck will, subject to customary closing conditions, 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), a 36% premium to Bio-Techne's one-month volume weighted average trading price. The transaction would bring together two highly complementary and leading life sciences organizations, uniquely positioned to support customers across the full spectrum of life science workflows - from discovery and translational research through development, testing and commercial manufacturing. Additionally, it would directly deliver on Merck's mid- to long-term strategic agenda, which focuses on high-growth value drivers, integrated workflows, platformed capabilities and scaling and sourcing innovation through M&A. "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. "By combining Bio-Techne's scientific depth, innovation engine and differentiated portfolio with Merck's global scale, manufacturing excellence and customer reach, 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." "Building on our strong track record in the Life Science Business, this transaction strengthens our presence in some of the most exciting and fastest-growing areas of the life sciences, including multi-omics, spatial biology, precision diagnostics and cell and gene therapy," said Jean-Charles Wirth, Member of the Executive Board of Merck and CEO Life Science. "It adds capabilities across our Discovery Solutions, Advanced Solutions and Process Solutions offerings, to support customers across increasingly complex scientific workflows." "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, 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." "Following a thorough review, Bio-Techne's Board of Directors determined that this transaction represents an excellent opportunity for Bio-Techne and delivers substantial, near-term cash value to shareholders," said Robert V. Baumgartner, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Bio-Techne. "We are confident that, as part of Merck, Bio-Techne will be well positioned to leverage its strong foundation and expand its impact across life sciences." Adding differentiated technologies across the Life Science value chain. Bio-Techne is a leader in recombinant proteins with 50 years of heritage in next-generation research and development and new modalities. Bio-Techne would bring to Merck a globally recognized portfolio of cytokines, growth factors, antibodies, and immunoassay kits. The planned acquisition would also add ProteinSimple, a leader in automated protein detection and analysis instruments, strengthening Merck's analytical and bioprocess solutions. In addition, Bio-Techne's RNAscope and related in situ hybridization technologies would strengthen Merck's capabilities in spatial biology and diagnostics. Merck would also benefit from Bio-Techne's position as a leading provider of materials, analytics, and process technologies to cell therapy developers. In fiscal year 2023, Bio-Techne acquired 19.9% of Wilson Wolf Corporation ("Wilson Wolf"), a leading manufacturer of cell culture devices, including the G-Rex product line, and Bio-Techne expects to acquire the remaining ownership in Wilson Wolf immediately following the end of calendar year 2027 under the terms of a two-part forward contract between Wilson Wolf and Bio-Techne. Bio-Techne is headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota and has more than 3,000 employees, with approximately 2,300 employees based in the U.S. It operates 34 global locations and 15 manufacturing facilities across the U.S., Canada, the UK, Switzerland and China and generated net sales of more than US$1.2 billion in fiscal year 2025. Strengthening Merck's leading Life Science capabilities and global reach. The planned acquisition would strengthen Merck's position in high-growth and accelerating areas, including multi-omics, spatial biology, cell and gene therapy, precision diagnostics and advanced research tools, while providing Bio-Techne with access to new channels and customer touchpoints as well as Merck's global scale, manufacturing expertise and established Life Science infrastructure. It would also bolster and broaden Merck's Process Solutions business unit by expanding its reach into higher-value reagents, analytics, and cell and gene therapy workflows, and strengthen discovery, development and manufacturing capabilities. Together, Merck and Bio-Techne would bring enhanced scientific depth and the technical capabilities needed to support increasingly complex customer needs across next-generation biology workflows. Organizational opportunities. Merck has a strong global footprint and track record as a leading employer. Over the past two decades, the company has invested more than US$35 billion (EUR 30 billion) through inorganic growth, including in the U.S. with acquisitions such as Millipore in 2010, Sigma-Aldrich in 2015, Versum in 2019, and, most recently, SpringWorks Therapeutics in 2025. Today, Merck employs more than 14,000 people in the U.S. across over 70 company and customer sites. The planned combination would unite teams across North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and other key markets, creating a more connected global organization with enhanced opportunities for collaboration, mobility and professional growth. Merck intends to leverage the unique strengths and expertise of both organizations while continuing to invest in the capabilities, development and long-term success of its workforce worldwide. As part of a larger global Life Science organization, Bio-Techne employees would have opportunities to contribute to a broader range of innovation, customer and growth priorities, while benefiting from greater access to international networks, advanced training and participation in larger-scale innovation programs. Together, these opportunities are expected to strengthen the company's ability to attract, retain and develop top talent globally, supporting continued scientific leadership and sustainable growth. Financing & transaction details. Under the terms of the merger agreement, Bio-Techne shareholders will receive US$73 per share in cash, representing a total enterprise value of approximately US$11.3 billion (EUR 9.9 billion). The proposed transaction has been approved by Bio-Techne's Board of Directors and Merck's relevant corporate bodies and is expected to close by late 2026 or early 2027, subject to satisfaction of customary closing conditions, including receipt of required regulatory approvals and approval by Bio-Techne shareholders. The planned acquisition will be funded through a combination of existing cash on hand and proceeds from new debt. Merck will preserve a strong investment-grade credit rating. Financial benefits & disciplined execution. The proposed transaction is expected to be immediately accretive to EBITDA pre margin of both Life Science and Merck post-closing and EPS pre accretive by year 3 after closing. Cost synergies of approximately EUR 140 million are expected to be fully realized by year 3 after closing. Merck has a strong track record of successfully integrating acquisitions, including larger-scale and capability-expanding transactions, while delivering strategic, operational and financial value creation. Building on this experience, Merck is committed to executing a thoughtful integration process focused on business continuity, critical talent retention, scientific capabilities and customer relationships. Value creation is expected to come from stronger growth, broader capabilities, improved customer reach and disciplined integration.