In 1668, Friedrich Jacob Merck purchased the Engel Pharmacy in Darmstadt, Germany.

 The transformation of Merck to a research-driven industrial company was marked in 1827 when Emanuel Merck isolated and characterized alkaloids for distribution to chemists. As the century progressed, so did the company. New ultrapure products were sold; the first biotechnology production process was introduced , and Merck entered the market.

Today, Merck is a global pharmaceutical, chemical and life science company with a history that began in 1668 and a future shaped by approximately 50,000 employees in 66 countries.