Merck to acquire HUB Organoids, expanding 3D cell culture and organoid services portfolio
23 Dec 2024Industry news
Merck, through its Life Science business, has agreed to acquire HUB Organoids (HUB), a pioneer in organoid technology based in Utrecht, Netherlands. HUB employs around 70 people and holds a foundational patent portfolio in organoids and related services. The acquisition, for which financial terms were not disclosed, is expected to close at the end of December 2024. The deal is designed to strengthen Merck’s position in next-generation biology, accelerate drug discovery and development, and support more predictive, patient-relevant research models.
Advancing organoid-based drug discovery and development
Organoids are advanced 3D cell culture models that functionally resemble human organs. They have the potential to speed up drug development, improve understanding of disease treatment in genetically diverse populations, and reduce the biopharmaceutical industry’s reliance on animal testing.
HUB possesses the foundational patent portfolio on organoids and offers services ranging from new model generation to assay development and high-throughput screening. Its technology enables drug developers to identify and validate potential clinical candidates in a patient-relevant in vitro system, helping to close the gap between preclinical laboratory research and clinical trials.
By integrating HUB’s organoid platforms and services, Merck aims to make it faster and easier for scientists in academia, biotechnology, and pharmaceutical companies to move from samples to solutions in drug discovery and translational research.
Strengthening Merck’s next-generation biology strategy
HUB’s organoid expertise and service offering will enhance Merck’s existing portfolio of cell culture reagents, tools, and benchtop instruments. This includes solutions for 3D cell culture, tumor spheroids, stem cell organoids, and tissue engineering via 3D bioprinting.
Merck’s comprehensive cell biology portfolio for drug development scientists spans high-quality cell culture fundamentals and downstream analysis reagents, including filtration, media, serum, culture plates, cell lines, microbial detection, cytokines and growth factors, analysis tools, transfection reagents, dyes and stains, and antibodies and immunodetection.
The acquisition of HUB aligns with Merck’s strategic innovation focus on next-generation biology and strengthens its position in the rapidly growing 3D cell culture market, which is expected to show double-digit annual growth over the next decade. ¹
Executive perspectives on the acquisition
“HUB’s leadership in organoids and services strengthen our already robust portfolio, underscoring our focus on the strategic innovation area of next-generation biology,” said Jean-Charles Wirth, Head of Science & Lab Solutions for the Life Science business of Merck. “For researchers working on novel approaches to treat today’s most challenging diseases, organoids offer critical insights into biologic systems. We look forward making it faster and easier for scientists to get from samples to solutions.”
“Our proprietary technology stands at the forefront of solutions that are driving a paradigm shift for drug discovery and development,” said Robert Vries, CEO of HUB Organoids. “Merck’s resources will act as a multiplier for our business. This allows us to significantly expand our reach and increase our impact with customers and, ultimately, patients.”
Supporting sustainability, diversity, and inclusion in research
The promise of organoids also contributes to Merck’s sustainability, diversity, and inclusion ambitions. By enabling more predictive in vitro models, organoids may allow researchers to limit their reliance on animal testing by reducing certain stages in the R&D process, positively contributing to more environmentally sustainable alternatives.
Organoid technology also creates opportunities for genetically diverse populations to be better reflected in research. By using organoids derived from different patient populations, scientists can gain deeper insights into drug interactions and treatment responses in groups that are often underrepresented in clinical trials.
Merck’s leadership in 3D cell culture and cell biology technologies
The biology business of Merck’s Science and Lab Solutions organization is pioneering innovations in 3D cell culture, a highly attractive market projected to experience double-digit annual growth over the next decade. ¹ Merck’s current, comprehensive, and highly published portfolio of cell biology technologies includes tumor spheroids, stem cell organoids, and tissue engineering via 3D bioprinting.
Together with HUB’s organoid platforms and services, Merck’s integrated offering is designed to support drug development scientists across the full workflow, from cell culture and model generation through to assay development, high-throughput screening, and downstream analysis.
References:
1. Human Organoids Market- Global Forecast to 2025 (Markets and Markets), 3D Cell Culture
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Frequently asked questions
How will Merck’s acquisition of HUB Organoids strengthen its global 3D cell culture and organoid services portfolio for drug discovery and development?
Merck, through its Life Science business, has agreed to acquire HUB Organoids, a pioneer in organoid technology based in Utrecht, Netherlands, to expand its global 3D cell culture and organoid-based services for drug discovery and development. HUB employs around 70 people and holds the foundational patent portfolio for organoids, which are advanced three-dimensional cell culture models that functionally resemble human organs. By integrating HUB’s organoid platforms and services—including new organoid model generation, assay development, and high-throughput screening—Merck will enhance its existing portfolio of cell culture reagents, tools, and benchtop instruments for academia, biotech, and pharma customers. This acquisition is expected to close at the end of December 2024, subject to customary closing conditions, and will further position Merck as a leading partner in advanced cell biology and translational research.
What role do HUB Organoids’ proprietary organoid technologies play in accelerating drug development and closing the gap between preclinical studies and clinical trials?
HUB Organoids’ proprietary organoid technologies provide three-dimensional, patient-relevant in vitro models that closely mimic the structure and function of human organs. These organoids enable drug developers to identify and validate potential clinical candidates in systems derived from patient samples, helping to close the gap between preclinical laboratory studies and clinical trials. HUB’s comprehensive service offering spans the development of new organoid models, assay development tailored to specific disease areas and therapeutic targets, and high-throughput screening for drug discovery and safety assessment. By offering organoid-based platforms that reflect genetically diverse patient populations, HUB’s technology supports more predictive drug development, improves understanding of disease treatment in underrepresented groups, and contributes to reducing reliance on animal testing in pharmaceutical research.
How does the integration of HUB Organoids support Merck’s next-generation biology strategy, including sustainability, diversity, and inclusion in 3D cell culture research?
The integration of HUB Organoids supports Merck’s next-generation biology strategy by expanding its capabilities in 3D cell culture and organoid-based research, a market expected to experience double-digit annual growth over the next decade. HUB’s leadership in organoids and services complements Merck’s existing portfolio, which includes tumor spheroids, stem cell organoids, tissue engineering via 3D bioprinting, and a broad range of cell culture fundamentals and downstream analysis reagents such as filtration, media, serum, culture plates, cell lines, microbial detection, cytokines and growth factors, analysis tools, transfection reagents, dyes and stains, and antibodies and immunodetection. Organoid adoption aligns with Merck’s sustainability goals by potentially reducing reliance on animal testing through alternative in vitro stages in the R&D process. It also advances diversity and inclusion by enabling researchers to incorporate genetically diverse, patient-derived samples into preclinical studies, allowing better understanding of drug interactions and treatment responses in populations that are often underrepresented in clinical trials.