Lonza to Acquire Merck's US CDMO Business Across Five Sites

Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, has signed a definitive agreement to divest its contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) business within its Life Science business sector to Lonza, a global contract development and manufacturing organization.

The announcement was made on 3 November 2026 from Darmstadt, Germany.

Lonza Targets Mid-2027 Closing for Acquisition

Lonza will acquire the business for a mid-triple-digit million-euro amount. The transaction is expected to close in mid-2027, subject to customary regulatory approvals and other closing conditions.

Strategic Rationale

The divestment advances the mid- to long-term strategic agenda of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, by focusing its portfolio on innovation-driven businesses with strong value-creation potential.

According to the company, this means prioritizing areas where its science and technology capabilities offer the greatest opportunity to lead and meet evolving customer needs.

At the same time, the transaction positions the CDMO business for its next phase of development under an organization with a dedicated focus on contract development and manufacturing, providing it with what the company describes as a strong platform for growth.

Leadership Commentary

Kai Beckmann, Chairman of the Executive Board and Group CEO of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, framed the deal as a continuation of the strategy laid out earlier in the year. "Today's announcement is another important step in advancing our mid- to long-term strategic agenda," said Beckmann.

"As announced during our strategy update in May, we continue to focus our portfolio on innovation-driven businesses that build on our core capabilities and strengthen our long-term competitive position within Life Science and across the entire portfolio of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany. At the same time, we continue to connect and scale capabilities across the company to leverage our unique market position as an integrated science and technology company."

"I would like to sincerely thank all of our CDMO colleagues whose expertise and commitment have contributed to the success of this business over many years," he added.

Continuity for Life Science Customers

The company stated that the Life Science sector's broad portfolio of consumables, technologies, and services will continue to equip pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and CDMO customers from discovery through manufacturing, enabling scientific innovation.

This indicates that the sale of the CDMO unit will not alter the sector's offering to its broader customer base, including CDMOs themselves.

Transaction Details

Key parameters of the deal as stated by the company: the buyer is Lonza, the asset being sold is the CDMO business within the Life Science business sector, the consideration is a mid-triple-digit million-euro amount, and the expected closing is mid-2027 pending customary regulatory approvals and other closing conditions.

The announcement was published by Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, which operates in the United States and Canada under the umbrella brand EMD through its subsidiaries.