MilliporeSigma Signs Distribution Agreement with Avanti® Polar Lipids

Under the terms of the agreement, MilliporeSigma will employ its sales, marketing and e-commerce expertise to distribute Avanti^® Polar Lipid's research lipid portfolio. The distribution agreement includes all geographies worldwide except for the United States, where Avanti^® will continue to reach customers via its own channels. Financial details were not disclosed.

"High-quality lipids are an essential component of precision in the laboratory," said Klaus Bischoff, Head of Research Solutions at MilliporeSigma. "Avanti^® Polar Lipids' research lipids strengthen MilliporeSigma's overall Life Science portfolio, giving our customers access to a broad portfolio of the highest purity lipids on the market."   

MilliporeSigma offers a complete portfolio of products and solutions that enable scientific discovery, including life science reagents and kits, lab and specialty chemicals and lab separation and workflow tools.              

Avanti^® Polar Lipids is a leading manufacturer and supplier of the highest purity lipids for research and pharmaceutical product development. Through this agreement, customers outside of the United States will have enhanced, on-demand access to the Avanti^® research lipid portfolio through MilliporeSigma's robust e-commerce platform, SigmaAldrich.com, regional inventory and MilliporeSigma sales representatives. Products will be stocked globally for improved availability to customers.

Transition of approximately 2,000 products from the Avanti^® research lipid portfolio to MilliporeSigma is expected to be completed in early 2018. In the interim, these products will continue to be available through existing Avanti^® Polar Lipids channels.

Avanti^® lipidomics products included in this agreement provide a new approach to answer fundamental questions about lipid structure and function and meet the demands of lipid researchers. For more information, visit www.SigmaAldrich.com/Avanti.

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About the Life Science Business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
The Life Science business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, which operates as MilliporeSigma in the U.S. and Canada, has 20,000 employees and 60 manufacturing sites worldwide, with a portfolio of more than 300,000 products enabling scientific discovery. Udit Batra is the global chief executive officer of MilliporeSigma.

Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany completed its $17 billion acquisition of Sigma-Aldrich in November 2015, creating a leader in the $125 billion global life science industry.

Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany is a leading company for innovative and top-quality high-tech products in healthcare, life science and performance materials. The company has five businesses – Biopharmaceuticals, Consumer Health, Allergopharma, Life Science and Performance Materials – and generated sales of €15 billion in 2016. Around 50,000 employees work in 66 countries to improve the quality of life for patients, to foster the success of customers and to help meet global challenges.

Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, is the world's oldest pharmaceutical and chemical company – since 1668, the company has stood for innovation, business success and responsible entrepreneurship. Holding an approximately 70 percent interest, the founding family remains the majority owner of the company to this day. The company holds the global rights to the name and the trademark "Merck" internationally except for the United States and Canada, where the company operates as EMD Serono, MilliporeSigma and EMD Performance Materials.

SOURCE MilliporeSigma