Merck KGaA agreed to acquire Bio-Techne in an approximately $11.3 billion deal, the company said, positioning the combined platform to span discovery, translational research, and commercial manufacturing. The acquisition adds Bio-Techne’s multiomics offerings, analytical technologies, and integrated workflow solutions, including protein analysis and cell-culture-related capabilities. The transaction also strengthens Merck KGaA’s presence in cell therapy and advanced therapeutics supply chains, an area where customers increasingly rely on standardized analytics and consumables. Merck said it expects the deal to close by late 2026 or early 2027, with cost synergies targeted by year three. Bio-Techne will provide assets including recombinant proteins, antibodies, immunoassays, and the ProteinSimple automated protein analysis system, along with RNAscope multiplex RNA in situ hybridization. Bio-Techne is also in the process of acquiring Wilson Wolf, a cell culture device maker Bio-Techne partially owns via a forward contract. The scale of the deal makes it the biggest acquisition for Merck KGaA since its Sigma-Aldrich purchase and underscores how large platform players are consolidating around lab workflows rather than only therapeutics pipelines.