Science and technology company Merck has announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire Natrix Separations, a Canada-based provider of hydrogel membrane products for single-use chromatography. The transaction is expected to close in Q3 of 2017. Financial details were not disclosed.
Natrix is known for a technology platform capable of delivering high productivity and impurity removal in a single-use format, which is suitable for next-generation processing. This acquisition complements Merck’s efforts to drive next-generation bioprocessing, ultimately enabling faster, more efficient technology for its customers.
Next-generation processing is any technology, expendable or system that changes the existing monoclonal antibody manufacturing template through unit operation intensification, connection of unit operations, or fully continuous processing. Bio-manufacturers are moving toward next-generation processing because of its many benefits, including increased plant productivity, facility flexibility, cost efficiencies and reduced risk. Next-generation processing is expected to triple in market size between 2020 and 2025.
Natrix markets both an anion exchange membrane and cation exchange membrane. Natrix is developing additional products to enable a fully single-use, full-scale biological purification process.