UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, DC 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): June 25, 2026

BIO-TECHNE CORPORATION

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

On June 25, 2026, Bio-Techne Corporation, a Minnesota corporation (“Bio-Techne”), and Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, a German corporation with general partners, issued a joint press release announcing the execution of an Agreement and Plan of Merger, by and among Bio-Techne, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany and EMD Holdings NewCo, Inc., a Minnesota corporation and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany. A copy of the press release is attached as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated herein by reference.

The information contained in Item 7.01 of this Current Report on Form 8-K, including Exhibit 99.1, shall not be deemed to be “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section. The information contained in Item 7.01 of this Current Report on Form 8-K, including Exhibit 99.1, shall not be incorporated by reference into any filing of Bio-Techne, whether made before, on, or after the date hereof, regardless of any general incorporation language in such filing, unless expressly incorporated by specific reference to such filing.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This communication may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany or Bio-Techne management. Statements that include words such as “anticipate,” “expect,” “should,” “would,” “intend,” “plan,” “project,” “seek,” “believe,” “will,” and other words of similar meaning in connection with future events or future operating or financial performance are often used to identify forward-looking statements. All statements in this communication, other than those relating to historical information or current conditions, are forward-looking statements. Actual results could differ materially from those projected or forecasted in the forward-looking statements. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation or development and the estimates given here. These factors include the following: Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany’s ability to successfully complete the proposed acquisition of Bio-Techne or realize the anticipated benefits of the proposed transaction in the expected timeframes or at all; Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany’s ability to successfully integrate Bio-Techne’s operations into those of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, given such integration may be more difficult, time-consuming or costly than expected; the failure to obtain Bio-Techne’s shareholders’ approval of the proposed transaction; the failure of any of the conditions to the proposed transaction to be satisfied; the possibility that competing offers or acquisition proposals for Bio-Techne will be made; revenues following the proposed transaction may be lower than expected; operating costs, customer loss and business disruption (including, without limitation, difficulties in maintaining relationships with employees, customers, clients or suppliers) may be greater than expected following the proposed transaction; the retention of certain key employees at Bio-Techne; risks associated with the disruption of management’s attention from ongoing business operations due to the proposed transaction; certain restrictions during the pendency of the proposed transaction that may impact Bio-Techne’s or Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany’s ability to pursue certain business opportunities or strategic transactions; the risk that any announcements relating to the proposed transaction could have adverse effects on the market price of Bio-Techne’s common stock, including if the proposed transaction is not consummated; the outcome of any legal proceedings related to the proposed transaction; the impact of the proposed transaction on Bio-Techne’s credit rating; the parties’ ability to meet expectations regarding the timing and completion of the proposed transaction; delays in obtaining any approvals required to complete the proposed transaction or an inability to obtain them on the terms proposed or on the anticipated schedule or regarding accounting and tax treatments of the proposed transaction; the impact of indebtedness to be incurred by Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany in connection with the proposed transaction; the effects of the business combination of Bio-Techne and Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, including the combined company’s future financial condition, operating results, strategy and plans; third parties may claim that Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany’s or Bio-Techne’s products infringe their intellectual property rights; fluctuations in non-U.S. currencies could result in transaction losses; acts of war and terrorism may adversely affect Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany’s or Bio-Techne’s business; the volatility of the international marketplace; and other factors discussed in Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany’s public reports which are available on Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany’s website at https://www.emdgroup.com/en or in Bio-Techne’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2025 and Bio-Techne’s other filings with the SEC, which are available at http://www.sec.gov and on Bio-Techne’s website at https://www.bio-techne.com/. Except as otherwise required by law, neither Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany nor Bio-Techne assumes any liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements that speak only as of the date hereof.

Additional Important Information and Where to Find It

This communication relates to the proposed transaction involving Bio-Techne and Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany. In connection with the proposed transaction, Bio-Techne intends to file relevant materials with the SEC, including a proxy statement on Schedule 14A (the “Proxy Statement”). This communication does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities or a solicitation of any vote or approval, and is not a substitute for the Proxy Statement or any other document that Bio-Techne files with the SEC or sends to Bio-Techne’s shareholders in connection with the proposed transaction. SHAREHOLDERS OF BIO-TECHNE ARE URGED TO READ ALL RELEVANT DOCUMENTS FILED WITH THE SEC, INCLUDING ALL PROXY MATERIALS, WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION. Investors and security holders will be able to obtain the documents (when available) free of charge at the SEC’s website, http://www.sec.gov, or on Bio-Techne’s website at https://www.bio-techne.com/.

Participants in Solicitation

Bio-Techne and its directors and executive officers, and Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany and certain of its executive officers, may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from the holders of Bio-Techne common stock in respect of the proposed transaction. Information about the directors and executive officers of Bio-Techne is set forth (i) in Bio-Techne’s proxy statement for its 2025 annual meeting of shareholders, which was filed with the SEC on September 19, 2025, which is available here, including under the headings “Proposal 2: Election of Directors,” “Corporate Governance,” “Director Compensation,” “Executive Compensation” and “Share Information”, and (ii) under Item 5.02, “Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers” in the Current Report on Form 8-K filed by Bio-Techne with the SEC on February 11, 2026 (which is available here). To the extent holdings of Bio-Techne’s securities by its directors or executive officers have changed since the amounts set forth in such documents, such changes have been or will be reflected on Initial Statements of Beneficial Ownership on Form 3 or Statements of Beneficial Ownership on Form 4 filed with the SEC that are or will be available at the SEC’s website, http://www.sec.gov. Other information regarding the participants in the proxy solicitation and a description of their direct and indirect interests, by security holdings or otherwise, will be contained in the Proxy Statement and other relevant materials to be filed with the SEC in respect of the proposed transaction when they become available.

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits

* Furnished, not filed. 

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

ATTACHMENTS / EXHIBITS

JOINT PRESS RELEASE, DATED JUNE 25, 2026

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