Merck KGaA Secures Bio-Techne in Monumental $11.3B Life Sciences Acquisition
On June 25, 2026, German science and technology titan Merck KGaA revealed a definitive agreement to acquire Bio-Techne Corporation (NASDAQ: TECH), a Minneapolis-based life sciences tools provider. The deal is valued at an enterprise value of approximately $11.3 billion (€9.9 billion), a 36% premium to Bio-Techne’s one-month volume-weighted average trading price, with a cash per share rate of $73.
Following the announcement, Bio-Techne’s shares experienced a 22% surge in premarket trading. The deal has received unanimous approval from both Bio-Techne’s Board of Directors and Merck’s relevant corporate bodies. It is anticipated to close by late 2026 or early 2027, subject to shareholder and regulatory approvals. Merck intends to finance the acquisition through a blend of existing cash and new debt, while preserving its investment-grade credit rating.
The strategic merger of these two highly complementary life sciences organizations will expand Merck’s portfolio across multiple areas. These include multi-omics, spatial biology, precision diagnostics, and cell and gene therapy, and will also bolster its Process Solutions unit. Bio-Techne, which generated over $1.2 billion in fiscal 2025 sales and employs more than 3,000 people across 34 sites globally, is set to bring significant value to Merck. The latter anticipates annual cost synergies of approximately €140 million by the third year post-closing. This marks Merck’s most substantial life sciences acquisition since its $17 billion purchase of Sigma-Aldrich in 2014.
Source: Bio-Techne Corporation – Official Press Release