Merck KGaA to buy Silence Therapeutics for $1.3 billion
Germany's Merck KGaA agreed to acquire Silence Therapeutics in an all-cash deal of about $1.3 billion, paying a 130% premium to the last close.
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what happened
German drugmaker Merck KGaA said on Monday it will take over therapy developer Silence Therapeutics, according to Reuters. The transaction is all-cash and valued at roughly $1.3 billion.
Merck will pay $20 per share, a 130% premium to Silence's last closing price. Silence shares rose 4% in premarket trading. The company develops siRNA, a drug class that its own description calls a 'mute button' for faulty genes. Merck CEO Kai Beckmann said the acquisition will strengthen the group's ability to serve patients with targeted specialty and rare diseases. Closing is expected in the first quarter of 2027.
why it matters
The key signal for markets is the size of the premium: a 130% markup to the share price suggests the buyer values the technology well above the company's current market worth. Deals like this show large pharma groups still hunting for gene-silencing platforms. Until closing, Silence shares are likely to trade close to the offered price.
market impact
Silence Therapeutics shares: takeover at a 130% premium to last close.
tags
instruments
sources
- Germany's Merck buys Silence Therapeutics for $1.3 billion — Reuters, 19 October 2026 at 12:07 UTC
- Germany's Merck buys Silence Therapeutics for $1.3 billion — Reuters, 19 October 2026 at 12:18 UTC
- Germany's Merck to Buy U.K. Biotech Silence Therapeutics for $1.3 Billion — Dow Jones Newswires, 19 October 2026 at 12:29 UTC
- Germany's Merck to Buy U.K. Biotech Silence Therapeutics for $1.3 Billion — Dow Jones Newswires, 19 October 2026 at 12:44 UTC
prepared by the newsmetry newsroom with ai assistance from the sources listed below. not investment advice.
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