Germany's Merck to buy Bio-Techne for $11.3 billion

A chemical laboratory technician determines the water content of a high-purity solvent for laboratory applications using a titration device in a laboratory of the Darmstadt-based pharmaceutical and technology group Merck KGaA. Arne Dedert | Picture Alliance | Getty Images Merck ​KGaA ​ has ​agreed to acquire biotech firm Bio-Techne for $11.3 billion, the ⁠German ‌science and healthcare ⁠firm said in a statement on Thursday. Shares of Bio-Techne rose 22% ‌in premarket trading. The offer price of $73 ​per share implies a 24% premium to Bio-Techne's close on ⁠Wednesday. The acquisition would expand Merck's ‌presence in life-science ‌research. Bio-Techne supplies research reagents, proteins, antibodies, analytical instruments ⁠and other tools used by scientists ⁠and drug ⁠developers. The German firm said it would fund the ​acquisition ‌through a combination of existing cash and new debt.