ST. LOUIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jul 24, 2025--
MilliporeSigma, the U.S. and Canada Life Science business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, a leading science and technology company, has signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Washington University (WashU) in St. Louis, Missouri, USA. The agreement marks the next chapter in a nearly century-long partnership dedicated to advancing scientific research and innovation.
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The expanded collaboration will support joint research initiatives, technology scouting, and research enablement, with an emphasis on fostering sustainable and socially responsible scientific progress. Together, MilliporeSigma and WashU aim to strengthen the talent pipeline, accelerate the transition from lab discoveries to clinical applications, and help eventually bring life-saving therapies to patients faster.
“Academic-industry collaborations are more critical than ever in today’s dynamic scientific landscape,” said Jean-Charles Wirth, CEO MilliporeSigma. “Our partnership with WashU underscores MilliporeSigma’s commitment to empower the next generation of scientists driving progress in healthcare and the life sciences. By combining WashU's world-class research capabilities with our advanced technologies and industry expertise, we can fuel innovation with lasting impact.”
Through the partnership, MilliporeSigma will provide access to its broad portfolio of products, services, and technical expertise, helping researchers innovate more efficiently and effectively. The MoU also expands MilliporeSigma’s efforts to support early-stage innovation by engaging with startups and incubators, offering emerging ventures resources and services tailored to accelerate their growth.
“This agreement represents a new milestone in the shared history of WashU and MilliporeSigma,” said WashU Chancellor Andrew D. Martin. “Collaboration is central to our university’s research and scientific success. Partnering with an industry leader like MilliporeSigma will expand our capacity to generate solutions to the world’s greatest challenges.”
WashU’s campus is located near MilliporeSigma’s network of production and R&D sites in St. Louis where the company employs nearly 2,300 people. Over the last five years, the company has invested more than $250 million in its St. Louis operations, further strengthening its regional footprint and advancing local scientific capabilities. The MoU reinforces MilliporeSigma’s continued commitment to the St. Louis innovation ecosystem and its broader mission to positively impact more lives through science.
This agreement reflects the company’s commitment to deepening ties with leading universities around the world to advance research, support scientific talent, and help bring new ideas to life. By fostering strong collaborations, MilliporeSigma aims to create more opportunities for discovery and real-world impact.
About the Life Science business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
The Life Science business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, which operates as MilliporeSigma in the U.S. and Canada, has more than 26,000 employees and more than 55 total manufacturing and testing sites worldwide, with a portfolio of more than 300,000 products focused on scientific discovery, biomanufacturing and testing services. Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, a leading science and technology company, operates across healthcare, life science and electronics.
Around 62,000 employees work to make a positive difference to millions of people’s lives every day by creating more joyful and sustainable ways to live. From providing products and services that accelerate drug development and manufacturing as well as discovering unique ways to treat the most challenging diseases to enabling the intelligence of devices – the company is everywhere. In 2024, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, generated sales of € 21.2 billion in 65 countries.
The company holds the global rights to the name and trademark “Merck” internationally. The only exceptions are the United States and Canada, where the business sectors of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, operate as MilliporeSigma in life science, EMD Serono in healthcare and EMD Electronics in electronics. Since its founding in 1668, scientific exploration and responsible entrepreneurship have been key to the company’s technological and scientific advances. To this day, the founding family remains the majority owner of the publicly listed company. For more information about Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, visit www.emdgroup.com.
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MilliporeSigma and WashU signed MoU today in St. Louis, Missouri.
