Merck KgA has made an offer of $7.2 billion, including assumption of $1.2 billion in debt, to acquire Millipore, a bioprocessing component manufacturer and service provider. The boards of both companies have approved the bid, which constituted a 50% premium above Millipore’s share price. Said Dr. Karl-Ludwig Kley, chairman of the board of Merck, “This is a combination with an excellent strategic fit, which will allow us to cover the entire value chain for our pharma and biopharma ...