Bayer AG

Bayer AG operates through three business divisions. The Pharmaceuticals division develops and markets prescription drugs in areas including cardiovascular, oncology, and ophthalmology. Key products include Xarelto, Eylea, and Nubeqa. The Consumer Health division produces over-the-counter health products including Aspirin, Aleve, Claritin, Coppertone, and Bepanthen. The Crop Science division, significantly expanded through the Monsanto acquisition, produces seeds, crop protection products, and digital farming solutions under brands including Roundup, DeKalb, and Climate FieldView.

The company employs approximately 100,000 people worldwide and operates research, development, manufacturing, and commercial facilities across more than 80 countries. Bayer has committed to significant investment in pharmaceutical research and development, with a pipeline of new drug candidates in oncology, cardiovascular, and other therapeutic areas.

Bayer was founded on August 1, 1863, by Friedrich Bayer and Johann Friedrich Weskott in Barmen (now part of Wuppertal), Germany, as a dyestuffs manufacturer. The company's most famous early innovation was the development of aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) in 1897, which became one of the best-selling pharmaceutical products in history and remains a cornerstone of the Bayer brand.

In the early 20th century, Bayer became part of IG Farben, a German chemical conglomerate that was dissolved after World War II. Bayer was re-established as an independent company in 1951 and grew rapidly through the second half of the 20th century, expanding into pharmaceuticals, crop science, and materials science.

Key milestones include the development of Xarelto (blood thinner) and Eylea (eye treatment), two of the company's most commercially successful pharmaceutical products. In 2015, Bayer spun off its materials science division as Covestro, a separate publicly traded company. In 2018, Bayer completed its landmark acquisition of Monsanto for approximately $63 billion, making it the world's largest seed and agrochemical company. However, the acquisition also brought the Roundup herbicide litigation, which has become one of the largest mass tort cases in U.S. legal history.

In 2024, Bayer 04 Leverkusen, the football club owned by Bayer AG, won its first-ever Bundesliga title under manager Xabi Alonso, completing an unbeaten league season. The club also won the DFB-Pokal (German Cup) in the same season.