Merck KGaA has signed a definitive agreement to divest its CDMO business within its Life Science business sector to Lonza.
The CDMO business provides development and manufacturing services for complex modalities, from development through manufacturing. The proposed transaction includes the CDMO business and operations associated with sites in Carlsbad, California; Madison and Verona, Wisconsin; CDMO bioconjugation operations in St. Louis, Missouri; and Indianapolis, Indiana.
Lonza will acquire the business for a mid-triple-digit million-euro amount (approximately $450 million to $670 million). The transaction is expected to close in mid-2027, subject to customary regulatory approvals and other closing conditions.
“A more concentrated Life Science portfolio will allow us to focus our investments on technologies and capabilities that build on our scientific leadership and make us an even stronger partner for our pharmaceutical, biotechnology and CDMO customers. We continue to support their work from discovery through manufacturing with a broad portfolio of consumables, technologies and other services,” said Jean-Charles Wirth, member of Merck KGaA’s executive board and CEO Life Science.