Merck Animal Health acquires Elanco's aqua business

Merck Animal Health, known as MSD Animal Health outside of the United States and Canada, a division of Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, N.J., USA, has acquired the aqua business of Elanco Animal Health Incorporated for US$1.3 billion in cash, consisting of a portfolio of medicines and vaccines, nutritionals and supplements for aquatic species; two related aqua manufacturing facilities in Canada and Vietnam; as well as a research facility in Chile.

This acquisition also brings a portfolio of water treatment products for warm water production, complementing Merck Animal Health’s warm water vaccine portfolio.

Stikeman Elliott acted as Canadian counsel to Merck & Co., Inc. with a team that included Michael Burkett, Joseph Bricker, Wei Yan, Ryan Johnson and John Ciardullo (Corporate); Sara Zborovski and Ian Trimble (Health Regulatory); Melissa Schyven (Real Estate); Patrick Welsh (Environmental); Jeilah Chan (Intellectual Property); Khalfan Khalfan, Tamara Ticoll, Alex Lemoine and Danielle Jager (Employment); Natasha vandenHoven and Sagar Darar (Pensions and Benefits); Jill Winton and Sarah Visentin (Tax).

Covington & Burling LLP served as US legal counsel to Merck & Co., while Goldman Sachs & Co., LLP acted as financial advisor.

Blake Cassels & Graydon LLP and White & Case LLP served as legal counsel to Elanco, with BofA Securities, Inc. as the exclusive financial advisor.

Lawyer(s)

Michael Burkett Joseph Bricker Sara Zborovski Ian Trimble Jeilah Y. Chan Khalfan Khalfan Tamara Ticoll Jill Winton