Thermo Fisher Scientific announced it will sell its microbiology business to private equity firm Astorg for about $1.08 billion. The company said the transaction is expected to close in the second half of 2026 and is projected to be dilutive to adjusted earnings per share by $0.15 in the first full year after closing. The divestiture reflects Thermo Fisher’s ongoing portfolio reshaping, separating higher-growth or core platform areas from businesses that may require different capital allocation and strategic priorities. For the biotech supply chain, the deal can affect availability and continuity of microbiology-related tools used across clinical diagnostics, biopharma R&D, and quality testing workflows.