The life science business of Merck KGaA, which operates as MilliporeSigma in the U.S. and Canada, has announced the acquisition of AmpTec, a Hamburg, Germany-based, mRNA contract development and manufacturing organization, in a move that will ramp up the company's capabilities to develop and manufacture mRNA for its customers.
The mRNA modality has been in the global spotlight with the success of several mRNA-based vaccines for COVID-19. According to MilliporeSigma, this success lays the path to accelerate the development of these therapeutics for many other diseases.
Key to the acquisition is AmpTec's differentiated polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based technology has shown to have advantages over other technologies for mRNA manufacturing. By combining AmpTec's PCR-based mRNA technology with MilliporeSigma's expertise in lipids manufacturing, the company hopes to provide a truly differentiated and integrated offering across the mRNA value chain, which could significantly decrease supply chain complexity and enhance speed-to-market.
In addition to specializing in mRNA technology, AmpTec has a diagnostics business that focuses on producing customized long RNAs and DNAs for in vitro diagnostics. It will complement MilliporeSigma's diagnostics business, which specializes in providing critical raw materials, components and services for in vitro diagnostics manufacturers.
The companies did not reveal the financial terms of the deal.
Read the press release
