The shareholders of Sigma-Aldrich approved the merger with Merck at a special meeting held at the Sigma-Aldrich Life Science and Technology Center, St. Louis, MO, USA. With approximately 78 %, shareholders owning the required majority of the outstanding shares of Sigma-Aldrich approved the proposed transaction.

Shareholder approval was one of the conditions the transaction is subject to. According to the merger agreement, Merck will acquire all of the outstanding Sigma-Aldrich shares for $140 per share in cash.

Merck continues to expect the transaction, which is subject to regulatory approvals, to close in mid-year 2015. The acquisition had already unanimously been approved by Sigma-Aldrich’s Board of Directors in September 2014. A Merck shareholder vote is not required.

• Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
• Merck Acquires Sigma-Aldrich,
  ChemistryViews.org 24 September 2014.