Lonza Group stock expands US CDMO network through Merck deal

Published on 11/10/2026 at 11:45 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS

Lonza Group stock is in focus after the company agreed to acquire five US CDMO sites from Merck KGaA. Closing is expected in mid-2027.

Lonza Expands Its US CDMO Network

Lonza agreed to acquire five US manufacturing sites and associated businesses from Merck KGaA.
The transaction is expected to close in mid-2027 and keeps Lonza's 2026 outlook unchanged.
The acquired operations cover bioconjugates, payload-linkers, viral vectors and advanced drug-delivery technologies.

Lonza Group, CH0013841017, Illustration mit AI erstellt.

Lonza has agreed to acquire five CDMO manufacturing sites and associated businesses in the United States from Merck KGaA, expanding its US network from four to nine sites. The company announced the transaction on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, in an announcement published by Lonza.

Lonza Group stock traded at 720.50 euros on Lang & Schwarz at 11:40 CET on Tuesday, November 10, 2026. The transaction gives Lonza access to capabilities spanning clinical development through commercial manufacturing, while the deal remains subject to customary closing conditions.

Five Sites Add US Capabilities

The assets are located in St. Louis, Missouri; Madison and Verona, Wisconsin; Carlsbad, California; and Indianapolis, Indiana. Their activities include bioconjugates, high-potency payload-linkers, viral vector solutions, lipid nanoparticles, liposomes and PEGylated proteins. Several operations also include aseptic fill-finish capabilities.

About 1,100 employees are expected to join Lonza. The addition would lift the company's US workforce to more than 6,000 people and more than double its US CDMO site count. Lonza said the network supports antibody-drug conjugates and other bioconjugates, viral vectors for cell and gene therapies and advanced drug-delivery technologies.

Revenue Arrives Before Full Integration

Lonza expects the acquired sites to generate around 250 million Swiss francs in sales in full-year 2028. The acquired operations are expected to run at a CORE EBITDA margin below Lonza's group level at that stage, with an insignificant impact on the group. After integration, Lonza expects the business to deliver profitable growth through available capacity, expansion space and investments aligned with market demand.

The company expects the business to reach peak sales at Lonza's future group margin level by the mid-2030s. The purchase will be funded with cash on hand and existing credit facilities, while Lonza said its 2026 financial outlook and organic growth model remain confirmed. The businesses will continue to operate independently until closing, which is expected in mid-2027.

Lonza CEO Wolfgang Wienand described the acquisition as a fit with the One Lonza strategy and said it should strengthen the company's US presence and the resilience of its manufacturing network. For investors, the main near-term milestone is the closing process; the financial contribution is planned to build from 2028 and depends on integration and demand in complex drug modalities.

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