Merck completes acquisition of biopharmaceutical CDMO company Exelead and plans to invest more than 500 million euros to enhance technical capabilities

Merck plans to continue investing in Exelead over the next decade

Following the newly established Life Sciences CDMO (Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization) business unit, the acquisition will help Merck further expand its biopharmaceutical global multi-modal CDMO capabilities

Merck can provide customers with integrated end-to-end services for the entire mRNA industry chain

Darmstadt, Germany, February 23, 2022 – Merck, the world’s leading technology company, announced today that it has completed a transaction of approximately $780 million (nearly $50 million), subject to regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions.

RMB 100 million) to complete the acquisition of Exelead in cash

Matthias Heinzel, member of the Merck Executive Board and CEO of Merck Life Sciences, said:

The blessing of Exelead's leading technology and professional team makes this acquisition another important milestone in Merck's history; Merck will have the ability to become a leading CDMO player in the global mRNA vaccine and therapeutic field, providing clinical The integrated CDMO service of the whole industry chain of mRNA from previous research to commercialization
.

In addition to Covid-19 treatment, mRNA technology also has broad prospects in other related fields, and we will further invest in this technology to tap its infinite potential

Exelead is a biopharmaceutical CDMO focused on developing PEGylated products and high-end complex injectable formulations, including lipid nanoparticle (LNP)-based drug delivery technologies
.

This technology is key to developing mRNA vaccines and drugs for Covid-19 and many other indications

Over the past two years, Merck's life sciences business has continued to invest in the development of traditional and innovative pharmaceuticals through acquisitions, expansions, and development—such as monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), antibody conjugates (ADCs), high-performance APIs (HP-APIs) , viral vector and mRNA development
.

The acquisition of Exelead is another milestone for Merck to accelerate innovation in Merck's process solutions and life sciences business through targeted acquisitions of influential small and medium-sized enterprises (Process Solutions is Merck's "Three Important Growths").
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Merck is a world-leading technology company, focusing on three major areas: medicine and health, life sciences and electronic technology
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Around 58,000 employees worldwide serve Merck, making a positive impact on the lives of millions of people by creating more enjoyable and sustainable life>
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From advanced gene editing technologies and discovering unique ways to treat challenging diseases, to making devices smarter - Merck is everywhere
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In 2020, Merck's total sales in 66 countries amounted to 17.
5 billion euros
.

Scientific exploration and responsible entrepreneurship have been the keys to Merck's technological progress and the secret to Merck's continued vitality since 1668
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As the founder of the company, the Merck family still holds most of the shares of Merck, and we are called "Merck" all over the world, except for the United States and Canada
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Merck's three major fields: medicine and health, life science and electronic technology are called "EMD Serono", "MilliporeSigma" and "EMD Electronics" in these two countries respectively
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Merck has a history of 88 years in China and currently has more than 4,200 employees and 20 registered companies in Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Wuxi, Suzhou and Nantong
.