Covington Advises Merck on €2.1 Billion Acquisition of Animal Health Company

WASHINGTON—Covington advised Merck & Co., Inc. on its acquisition of Antelliq Group for approximately €2.1 billion ($2.4 billion) plus the assumption of €1.15 billion of debt. Antelliq will be wholly owned and separately operated subsidiary within the Merck Animal Health Division.

Antelliq is an animal intelligence group focused on animal identification, traceability and monitoring solutions, the fastest growing part of the animal health industry. These solutions help veterinarians, farmers and pet owners gather critical data to improve the management, health, and well-being of livestock and pets.

The increasing use of digital technology in animal agriculture is driven by the growing demand for protein, food traceability and food safety. Identification and monitoring technologies will help optimize disease prediction and treatment, and this acquisition will provide Merck Animal Health with a large, established customer base in both areas.

The Covington team was led by Catherine Dargan, Michael Riella, and Louise Nash.