Sigma-Aldrich, headquartered in St Louis in the US, is already the world's largest supplier of biochemicals and organic chemicals to research laboratories, clocking up sales of $2.7 billion last year.

According to the Associated Press, Merck CEO Karl-Ludwig Kley said the firm had a “clear commitment” to St. Louis, Missouri, where Sigma-Aldrich is based. According to the news report, “he said it was ...

Merck has not shied away from splashy takeovers in the past. In 2015, the company agreed to buy US lab equipment supplier Sigma-Aldrich for $17 billion, its biggest-ever deal. In 2019, Merck ...