MilliporeSigma, the U.S. and Canada Life Science business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, has acquired Massachusetts-based Erbi Biosystems, a developer of the 2 ml micro-bioreactor platform technology, known as the “Breez.”
 
The deal strengthens MilliporeSigma’s upstream portfolio in therapeutic proteins by enabling scalable cell-based perfusion bioreactor processes from 2ml to 2000L with rapid lab-scale process development. It also offers future development opportunities in novel modality applications, including cell therapies. Financial terms were not disclosed.
 
“Erbi’s Breez is one of the few micro-scale, fully automated, functionally closed and continuous perfusion cell culture platform technologies on the market. Its footprint is also much smaller than that of other bioreactor platform technologies,” said Darren Verlenden, head of Process Solutions, Life Science business sector of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany. “By integrating the Breez in our extensive Mobius portfolio, we can now offer a full range of bioreactors, cell retention systems and devices, and cell culture media. This increases the productivity of our upstream processes and will further accelerate the adoption of perfusion cell culture operations as our customers move towards more connected and continuous processing.”
 
“We look forward to joining the Life Science business sector of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany and are confident that our expertise in bioprocessing process development will complement the Mobius portfolio and help advance life-enhancing therapeutics,” said Michael Chiu, president and CEO at Erbi Biosystems.
 
The Breez micro-bioreactor platform technology expands the upstream portfolio of MilliporeSigma’s BioContinuum Platform, which includes cell culture, cell retention, and bioreactor solutions for continuous bioprocessing. As part of MilliporeSigma’s intensified upstream ecosystem, the Breez will transform continuous process development through automation. It increases operator throughput by up to four times compared to other benchtop-scale systems to yield high-performing continuous processes that lower the cost of manufacturing and increase speed to market. Compared to competitive bioreactor platform technologies, it requires less bench space and no biosafety hood.
 
The acquisition of Erbi Biosystems, which closed on December 1, 2022, is another milestone to accelerate innovation in the company’s Process Solutions business unit through targeted smaller to medium-sized acquisitions with high impact. Process Solutions business, together with the Life Science Services business unit, is one of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany’s “Big 3” growth drivers. The company aims to increase its Group sales to approximately €25 billion by 2025.