Merck's acquisition of Sigma-Aldrich is coming closer to fruition

On 22 September 2014, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, and Sigma-Aldrich announced they had entered into a definitive agreement under which Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, will acquire Sigma-Aldrich for $17 billion — $140 cash per share, establishing one of the leading players in the $130 billion global life science industry.

The European Commission has conditionally cleared the planned acquisition of Sigma-Aldrich by Merck KGaA. Sigma-Aldrich has also announced it has obtained full clearance of the Transaction from the Chinese Ministry of Commerce.

These latest jurisdictions to clear the Transaction follow clearance in May by Japanese authorities. Antitrust clearance has also been obtained in the United States, Russia, Serbia, Ukraine, South Africa and Taiwan.

To satisfy the conditions imposed by the EC for clearance of the Transaction, both Sigma-Aldrich and Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, have agreed to sell parts of Sigma-Aldrich’s solvents and inorganics chemicals business in the European Economic Area as a fully integrated, stand-alone business. This includes the rights to all solvents and inorganics sold globally under the Fluka brand.

The closing of the Transaction remains subject to certain other conditions including clearance by antitrust authorities in Brazil, Israel and South Korea. Both companies continue to work towards a closing date of mid-2015.