GERMANY'S MERCK TO BUY SERONO

German drugmaker Merck KGaA on Thursday agreed to buy Serono SA for $13.3 billion, just five months after Europe's largest biotechnology company took down the for-sale sign. Merck said it has agreed to buy the Bertarelli family's 64.5% stake in Serono for 1,100 Swiss francs per Zurich-listed share ($21.98 per U.S.-listed share) and will launch a public offer for the outstanding shares at the same price.

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