We are a leading global provider of products, solutions and services for a wide range of customers, including research and diagnostic labs, biotech and pharmaceutical companies, as well as the industrial sector.
Across our Life Science business sector, we collaborate with the global scientific community to deliver innovations. To this end, we offer a broad and deep product portfolio as well as global services as a contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO), ranging from process development to commercialization. In fiscal 2024, we continued to consistently develop our strategy and strengthened our position as a diversified life science company with our three business units Science & Lab Solutions, Process Solutions and Life Science Services.
The development of preventive and personalized medicine is progressing steadily. It is therefore essential to set standards for robust, scalable and efficient processes for production of novel modalities such as antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) and those for cell-, gene- and mRNA-based therapies. This progress will support the expansion of novel therapies as well as the treatment of further complex and chronic conditions including cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and muscular dystrophy.
To accomplish this, more than 1,700 scientists in research and development (R&D) within Life Science across twelve global sites focus on strengthening our core portfolio. They have enabled our three business units to launch more than 9,200 products and solutions, including those launched via our “faucet program” for antibodies, reference materials and nanomaterials.
In addition to our diversified portfolio of products and services, we offer a wealth of expertise to our customers around the world: We are constantly seeking opportunities to work together with leading universities around the world to advance research. For example, in May 2024 we signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding with the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) to collaboratively advance the research and development ecosystem in Korea for industrial applications in life science. By partnering with this academic institution, we will provide researchers at KAIST’s labs with products from our chemistry and biology portfolios. A collaboration will also be established for joint R&D projects, focusing on advancing innovation in prioritized research areas.
In fiscal 2024, Life Science generated 42% of Group sales and 39% of EBITDA pre (excluding Corporate and Other). Europe and North America generated 70% of Life Science’s sales in 2024; Asia-Pacific and Latin America accounted for 29% of sales.
Science & Lab Solutions
The Science & Lab Solutions business unit supports customers in the biotech and pharmaceutical industries, public authorities and scientific institutions and other industrial markets. Customers can access a broad portfolio including reagents, consumables, devices, instruments, software, and services for research, production and testing in addition to lab water instruments, microbiology and biomonitoring products, test assays, analytical reagents, and flow cytometry kits and instruments.
In the first half of 2024, we introduced our M-Trace® software and the associated mobile app for microbiological quality control, a comprehensive data tracking solution to digitalize sterility testing. The software helps ensure overall process safety by automatically documenting data for every step of the testing process. This reduces the risk of deviations, false positive results and human error.
In June, we announced a collaboration with the New York City-based Michael J. Fox Foundation, New York, USA, aimed at advancing Parkinson’s research to slow the progression of the disease, leveraging our SMCxPRO® immunoassay technology to help detect low levels of a biomarker associated with cell dysfunction in patients. The service is now available to the scientific community, making it possible to track the response of different therapeutic options to disease progression.
In December, we acquired Netherlands-based HUB Organoids Holding B.V., Utrecht, a pioneer in the field of organoids. Organoids are cell culture models that mimic the functions of an organ. They can accelerate drug development, improve the understanding of disease treatments in diverse populations and reduce the industry’s dependence on animal testing.
Process Solutions
The Process Solutions business unit supports biotech and pharma customers that focus on developing and manufacturing traditional and novel therapies with its comprehensive portfolio of products and services, including filtration devices, chromatography resins, single-use systems, process chemicals, and excipients for bioprocessing.
In May 2024, we signed a definitive agreement to acquire the life science company Mirus Bio LLC (Mirus Bio) for a purchase price of US$ 617 million. Based in Madison, Wisconsin, USA, Mirus Bio specializes in the development and commercialization of transfection reagents, such as its own TransIT-VirusGEN®. These transfection reagents are used to help introduce genetic material into cells and thus play a key role in the production of viral vectors for cell and gene therapies. The transaction officially closed on July 31, 2024.
In September, we launched the first scalable single-use mixer specifically designed for manufacturing ADCs. ADCs are a rapidly emerging and relatively new class of therapeutic agents that can target and selectively kill tumor cells while protecting healthy ones. The Mobius® ADC Reactor enables biopharmaceutical companies to produce their therapies faster and more safely by offering accelerated turnaround times and fewer cross-contamination risks, all while maintaining high product quality. Additionally, the new reactor’s single-use assemblies are manufactured using Ultimus® film technology, making the bags stronger, more durable and more resistant to leaks.
Life Science Services
The Life Science Services business unit manufactures traditional and novel modalities for biotech and pharmaceutical customers, including monoclonal antibodies, high-potency active pharmaceutical ingredients, antibody-drug conjugates, and viral and gene therapy products, as well as mRNA. With our integrated offering of contract development, manufacturing and testing services, we support customers from preclinical phases to commercial production.
In April, we launched a first-of-its-kind, all-in-one, validated genetic stability assay. The Aptegra™ genetic stability platform replaces five different assays and four different technologies with one assay that uses a digital platform with next-generation sequencing technology. This approach reduces testing time by 66% compared with traditional methods. The platform meets all regulatory requirements for genetic stability assurance, including gene copy number assessment.
In October, we opened our new € 290 million biosafety testing facility in Rockville, Maryland, USA. Biosafety testing and analytical development are fundamental components of drug development and commercialization for traditional and novel modalities. The 23,000 square-meter facility houses biosafety testing, analytical development and cell banking manufacturing services. The new site will feature advanced testing capabilities, including a rapid methods package that enables the fast testing of large sample volumes for virus contamination. This package is the first to include the Blazar® CHO Animal Origin Free (AOF) panel, a targeted molecular method for detecting virus families.
Investments to expand capabilities and production
- In February, we opened a new € 20 million, 10,000-square-meter distribution center in Cajamar, São Paulo, Brazil, to better serve our customers in the region and meet the country’s growing demand for life science products.
- In March, we announced the expansion of our M Lab™ Collaboration Center in Shanghai, China, which brought together with several laboratories of the BioReliance® Biologics Testing Center under the new name Shanghai Technical Application and Testing Center. Shanghai M Lab™ is one of nine customer cooperation centers in our network.
- Also in March, we announced an investment of more than € 300 million in a new Bioprocessing Production Center in Daejeon, Korea. The new site is the largest investment in Asia-Pacific in the Life Science business sector to date and demonstrates our commitment to expanding our capacities in the fast-growing region. The production facility will manufacture essential products for biotechnology such as dry powder cell culture media, process liquids and sterile sampling systems, as well as offering small-scale pre-GMP production. By the end of 2028, the center is also expected to have a distribution center and an automated warehouse.
- In April, we announced the investment of more than € 300 million in a new research center in Darmstadt, Germany, named the Advanced Research Center. Starting in 2027, the building will be home to more than 500 employees focusing on researching solutions for manufacturing antibodies, mRNA applications and additional products required for biotechnological production.
- In June, we announced an investment of € 68 million in a new quality control building at our global headquarters in Darmstadt. The facility will bring together approximately 135 employees from across several departments in a single state-of-the-art collaborative space.
- Also in June, we also opened our newly expanded distribution center in Schnelldorf, Germany. With an investment of more than € 180 million, we have almost doubled our space. Alongside a new manual down-filling facility, the site now provides more space for distributing a wide range of products to laboratories and research facilities worldwide. The Schnelldorf site employs more than 400 engineers and experts in manufacturing and distribution.
- In late October, we announced the € 70 million expansion of our ADC manufacturing capabilities at our Bioconjugation Center of Excellence facility in St. Louis, Missouri, USA. This investment will significantly expand existing capacity and enhance our offering as a CDMO, reinforcing our commitment to partner with new and existing customers in the pharmaceutical industry as they advance their drug development pipelines. With the added capacity and upgraded process and analytical development labs, we will provide support for early-stage and commercial bioconjugates.