Biotechnology Acquisitions in Missouri

Molecular Designs, a Birmingham-based provider of PCR assays and related reagents and equipment, has acquired Lamda Biotech, a St. Louis provider of molecular biology research products and kits. The deal will expand Molecular Designs’ product portfolio and manufacturing capacity while broadening access to academic research and pharmaceutical customers and strengthening R&D and technical talent.

Invaio Sciences has acquired Peptyde Bio, a Danforth Technology Company spinout that discovers and designs antimicrobial peptides for crop protection. The deal brings Peptyde Bio’s peptide discovery platform and IP into Invaio’s AI-enabled discovery engine and biological delivery systems to accelerate nature-positive crop protection solutions.

Paine Schwartz Partners (via Paine Schwartz Food Chain Fund VI) completed a strategic growth investment in Elemental Enzymes, a St. Louis-based developer of naturally occurring enzymes and biochemicals for commercial agriculture. Financial terms were not disclosed; the Elemental Enzymes management team will remain in place and will work with Paine Schwartz to expand R&D, launch new products, and enter new markets.

Ampersand Capital Partners has completed a majority recapitalization of Leinco Technologies, a specialty manufacturer of life-science reagents and custom development services based near St. Louis, Missouri. The growth equity investment will fund expanded manufacturing capacity, broaden scientific capabilities and product offerings, and support Leinco's commercial and geographic expansion while leadership including founder Pat Leinert Sr. remain involved.

Valo Health has acquired Courier Therapeutics, a biotechnology company founded at Washington University in St. Louis that developed a protein therapeutics platform and the tumor-targeting candidate OPL-0101. The acquisition extends Valo’s Opal Computational Platform into protein therapeutics and is expected to broaden Valo’s modalities and capabilities across oncology and other therapeutic areas; the deal includes an upfront payment and milestone-based consideration.

Bruker Corporation has acquired Canopy Biosciences, LLC to strengthen its targeted multi-omics and high-plex biomarker imaging capabilities, adding Canopy's ChipCytometry platform and multi-omics services. Financial terms were not disclosed; Ampersand Capital Partners was identified as Canopy's lead investor.