Merck Announces Agreement to Sell Amnis Flow Cytometry and Guava Technologies Businesses to Luminex Corporation

- - Strategic agreement allows Luminex to increase footprint in multi-billion-dollar flow cytometry market - Deal expected to close at end of 2018 DARMSTADT, Germany, Oct. 18, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Merck, the vibrant science and technology company, today announced the signing of a definitive agreement to sell its Flow Cytometry unit to Luminex Corporation for €62.5 million.1 The closing of the transaction, expected by the end of 2018, is subject to customary closing conditions. Upon completion of the transaction, Luminex will own the flow cytometry platforms Amnisand Guava and the associated reagents under those brands. This includes a portfolio of leading technologies serving the research space. Merck continues to actively manage its comprehensive portfolio by tapping into innovation and placing it in the best hands to continuously drive value for customers.  "This is an exciting opportunity for both of our organizations and I would like to extend my sincerest thanks to our committed colleagues," said Udit Batra, member of the Merck Executive Board and CEO, Life Science. "Luminex is a long and trusted partner who has provided a wide range of solutions for clinical diagnostics, pharmaceutical drug discovery and biomedical research. Luminex shares our conviction to solve the toughest problems in life science. This will be a great new home for the team to build on their expertise and introduce more solutions to a broader base. At the same time, our existing customers will get access to Luminex's respected product portfolio." The acquisition expands Luminex's existing offering of flow-based detection systems, which is focused on its xMAP multiplexing technology, with more than 15,000 xMAP systems sold worldwide. Merck's ImageStream X Mark II Imaging Flow Cytometer, for example, has extremely high sensitivity and is used to detect and characterize small particles. "As innovators in flow-based technologies, we are excited to acquire the flow cytometry assets of our existing long-term partner Merck, thereby expanding our portfolio of detection systems to address researchers interested in cellular analysis," said Homi Shamir, president and CEO of Luminex. "We look forward to welcoming the talented Merck team to the Luminex family."   About Luminex Corporation At Luminex, our mission is to empower labs to obtain reliable, timely, and actionable answers, ultimately advancing health. We offer a wide range of solutions applicable in diverse markets including clinical diagnostics, pharmaceutical drug discovery, biomedical research, genomic and proteomic research, biodefense research, and food safety. We accelerate reliable answers while simplifying complexity and deliver certainty with a seamless experience. To learn more about Luminex, please visit us at www.luminexcorp.com. Follow Merck on Twitter @Merckgroup, on Facebook @merckgroup and on LinkedIn. All Merck news releases are distributed by email at the same time they become available on the Merck website. Please go to www.merckgroup.com/subscribe to register online, change your selection or discontinue this service. About MerckMerck is a leading science and technology company in healthcare, life science and performance materials. Around 53,000 employees work to further develop technologies that improve and enhance life – from biopharmaceutical therapies to treat cancer or multiple sclerosis, cutting-edge systems for scientific research and production, to liquid crystals for smartphones and LCD televisions. In 2017, Merck generated sales of €15.3 billion in 66 countries. Founded in 1668, Merck is the world's oldest pharmaceutical and chemical company. The founding family remains the majority owner of the publicly listed corporate group. Merck holds the global rights to the "Merck" name and brand. The only exceptions are the United States and Canada, where the company operates as EMD Serono, MilliporeSigma and EMD Performance Materials. 1 Consisting of approximately €58.3 million to be paid under a Stock and Asset Purchase Agreement and approximately €4.2 million in committed inventory purchases. USD amount converted EUR 1 = $ 1.20.