Merck, a leader in science and technology, has announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the chromatography business of JSR Life Sciences, a leading provider of contract development, manufacturing, and bioprocessing solutions.
The acquisition marks a strategic move to enhance Merck’s downstream processing portfolio, expanding its advanced Protein A chromatography capabilities to support the efficient, scalable production of biopharmaceutical therapies, including monoclonal antibodies. The transaction is expected to close by the end of the second quarter of 2026, pending customary closing conditions.
This acquisition strengthens Merck’s position in the rapidly growing bioprocessing market and reinforces its long-term investment strategy in next-generation monoclonal antibody production technologies.
By combining JSR’s expertise in Protein A chromatography with Merck’s global infrastructure and comprehensive portfolio, the company aims to offer greater speed, efficiency, and reliability to biopharmaceutical manufacturers developing life-saving therapies.
Protein A chromatography plays a pivotal role in the purification of monoclonal antibodies and other therapeutic proteins used in treating cancer, autoimmune diseases, and infectious conditions. This process ensures high levels of purity and safety while increasing manufacturing throughput and consistency, helping patients gain faster access to critical treatments.
Headquartered in Belgium, JSR Life Sciences’ chromatography division employs more than 50 specialists and supplies advanced purification solutions to leading pharmaceutical and biotechnology manufacturers worldwide. The company is best known for its Amsphere A3 and Amsphere A+ Protein A resins, which deliver superior purification performance, scalability, and process robustness for a wide range of monoclonal antibody applications. These technologies have become essential tools in improving manufacturing reliability and therapeutic quality across the biopharma sector.
Through this acquisition, Merck will integrate JSR’s chromatography products into its Life Science business, further bolstering its industry-leading Process Solutions portfolio.
The addition of the Amsphere line will complement Merck’s existing suite of downstream offerings, which includes filtration technologies, chromatography resins, buffers and chemicals, integrated systems, hardware, and validation services. These combined capabilities enable customers to optimize drug development and manufacturing workflows while maintaining the highest standards of safety, performance, and compliance.
Merck’s investment underscores its commitment to empowering global partners in advancing biopharmaceutical innovation. The company continues to expand its technologies and solutions to support the entire drug manufacturing lifecycle, from research and development through to large-scale production.
KEY QUOTES:
“This acquisition will strengthen our position in the bioprocessing market and underscores our commitment to long-term investment in monoclonal antibody production technologies. 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.”
Sebastián Arana, Head of Process Solutions, Life Science business of Merck
“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.”
Tim Lowery, President of JSR Life Sciences
