MilliporeSigma to acquire chromatography business of JSR Life Sciences
MilliporeSigma, the U.S. and Canada Life Science business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, announced it will acquire the chromatography business of JSR Life Sciences, a provider of contract development and manufacturing, preclinical and translational clinical research, and bioprocessing solutions.
The transaction, expected to close by the end of the second quarter of 2026, will reportedly expand the company’s downstream processing capabilities with advanced Protein A chromatography technologies.
“This acquisition will strengthen our position in the bioprocessing market and underscores our commitment to long-term investment in monoclonal antibody production technologies,” Sebastián Arana, Merck’s head of process solutions, Life Science business, said in a statement. “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 is a critical step in purifying monoclonal antibodies and therapeutic proteins used in treatments for cancer, autoimmune diseases, and infectious conditions. The technology reportedly improves product purity, safety, and manufacturing efficiency, helping accelerate patient access to essential therapies.
Based in Belgium, JSR’s chromatography business employs more than 50 people and supplies chromatography solutions globally. The company’s Amsphere A3 and Amsphere A+ Protein A resins are recognized for high performance and process robustness across a range of monoclonal antibody applications, according to the announcement.
MilliporeSigma’s downstream portfolio includes filtration, chromatography, buffers and chemicals, hardware, systems, and validation services to help optimize biopharmaceutical production. In September, the company opened a filter manufacturing facility in Cork, Ireland, to support the production of vaccines, monoclonal antibodies and emerging modalities such as cell and gene therapies.