Astorg Acquires Thermo Fisher Microbiology Business for $1.075B

Editor’s Take: The global pharmaceutical industry witnesses an excess of merger and acquisition (M&A) activity every year. Read our Pharmaceutical Industry Mergers & Acquisitions Roundup.

Astorg, a pan-European private equity firm, has acquired the global microbiology business of Thermo Fisher Scientific for consideration of approximately $1.075 billion, consisting of cash and a $50 million seller note.

The business will now operate as an independent company under the leadership of Chief Executive Officer Dirk Bontridder and will launch under a new corporate brand later in 2026.

The microbiology business provides antimicrobial susceptibility testing and culture media solutions for clinical, pharmaceutical and food safety testing. According to Thermo Fisher, the business generated $645 million in revenue in 2025 and was part of its Specialty Diagnostics segment. The business serves more than 15,000 customers across over 100 countries and employs approximately 2,400 employees across 13 manufacturing and R&D sites around the world.

Commenting on the completion, Judith Charpentier, Co-Managing Partner and Head of Healthcare at Astorg, said, “This is precisely the type of complex opportunity where Astorg can make a difference, combining deep healthcare expertise, an entrepreneurial and hands-on partnership model, and a strong track record of value creation across the companies we back.”

Dirk Bontridder, Chief Executive Officer, added, “This is a unique journey to create an independent global microbiology diagnostics company with an exceptional portfolio, talented teams and a long-standing reputation for quality, scientific excellence and customer service.”

More Thermo Fisher Scientific News

Thermo Fisher Scientific recently opened its flagship U.S. Bioprocess Design Center (BDC) at the company’s Plainville, Mass., site.