Merck to Acquire the Chromatography Business of JSR Life Sciences
Acquisition aims to strengthen company’s downstream process offering of advanced filtration and chromatography solutions
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Merck announced the signing of a definitive agreement to acquire the chromatography business of JSR Life Sciences. The acquisition will expand Merck’s downstream processing portfolio with advanced protein A chromatography capabilities, supporting more efficient and scalable production of biopharmaceutical therapies, including monoclonal antibodies. The transaction is expected to close by the end of the second quarter of 2026.
Acquisition enhances the company’s capabilities to accelerate next-generation therapies by optimizing antibody purification
Merck KGaA
“This acquisition will strengthen our position in the bioprocessing market and underscores our commitment to long-term investment in monoclonal antibody production technologies,” said Sebastián Arana, Head of Process Solutions, Life Science business of Merck. “By combining JSR’s Protein A expertise with our portfolio, we can further enable customers to advance the speed, efficiency, and reliability of antibody therapy production.”
Protein A chromatography plays a critical role in the purification of monoclonal antibodies and therapeutic proteins, which are used for treating cancers, autoimmune diseases, and infectious conditions. This specialized purification process is key to achieving high purity and enhanced drug safety, while also improving manufacturing speed and reliability. Ultimately, that means helping patients gain faster access to critical therapies.
Based in Belgium, the chromatography business of JSR Life Sciences has more than 50 employees and supplies chromatography solutions to pharmaceutical and biotech manufacturers worldwide. The company is known for its high-performing Amsphere™ A3 and Amsphere™ A+ Protein A resins, which offer superior purification performance and process robustness for a wide range of monoclonal antibodies.
"This acquisition positions our innovative Amsphere" Protein A technologies for even greater global impact under Merck's renowned platform—enabling more customers worldwide to accelerate therapies to market with enhanced speed and confidence”, said Tim Lowery, President of JSR Life Sciences.