Global law firm Freshfields is advising Merck KGaA on its agreement to acquire the chromatography business of JSR Life Sciences. The transaction was announced on October 15, 2025 and is expected to close by the end of the second quarter of 2026.

Based in Belgium, the chromatography business of JSR Life Sciences supplies chromatography solutions to pharmaceutical and biotech manufacturers worldwide. 

Merck KGaA, headquartered in Darmstadt, Germany, is a global science and technology company operating in life sciences, healthcare and electronics. According to Merck, the acquisition will expand its downstream processing portfolio with advanced Protein A chromatography capabilities, supporting more efficient and scalable production of biopharmaceutical therapies, including monoclonal antibodies, which will strengthen Merck’s position in the bioprocessing market and underscores its commitment to long-term investment in monoclonal antibody production technologies.

Freshfields is advising Merck on all legal aspects of the transaction, working closely again with the Merck legal team led by Abhira Gonge, Champ Charernthamanont, Julia Dolleschel, Vivien Tannoch and Christoph Engel.

The team is being led by Partner Lars Meyer (Frankfurt/Berlin), Principal Associate David Anschütz (Frankfurt/San Francisco), Counsel Zizi Petkova (New York) and Associate Faras Mirhoseiny (Berlin/Frankfurt, all Corporate/M&A) as well as Associate Théodora Milos (Real Estate, Brussels), Counsel Marius Scherb and Associate Zahar Qasim (both IP/Commercial, Hamburg).

The wider Freshfields team comprises:

Partners: Rod Carlton (Antitrust, London/Brussels), Philipp Dohnke (IP/Commercial, Hamburg), Frédéric Elens (Corporate/M&A, Brussels), Mena Kaplan (IP/Commercial, New York), Michael Ramb (Regulatory, Düsseldorf/Berlin), Satya Staes Polet (Employment Law, Brussels) and Tanja Walter-Yadegardjam (Tax, Frankfurt)

Senior Associates: Sebastian Breder (Real Estate, Frankfurt), Alessandra Galea (Antitrust, London), Hendrik Menzel (Tax), Stephan Reemts (Corporate/M&A, both Frankfurt), Katharina Reinhardt (Regulatory, Berlin), Danny Spencer (IP/Commercial, New York), Brunhilde Van Den Haute (Employment Law) and Lucas Vanassche (Antitrust, both Brussels)

Associates: Aurélie Devillers (Commercial), Leonie Mertens (Employment Law, Brussels) and Jenny Park (Corporate/M&A, New York)