Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited announced on May 8, 2018 that it has reached agreement on the terms of an offer to acquire Shire plc in a deal valued at $62 billion. The boards of directors of both companies have approved the transaction, which is expected to close in the first half of 2019.

In announcing the agreement, a Takeda press statement cited the companies’ complementary positions in gastrointestinal and neuroscience and the benefit of providing “the combined group with leading positions in rare diseases and plasma-derived therapies to complement strength in oncology and focused efforts in vaccines.”

As reported in the press statement, under the terms of the agreement, each Shire shareholder will receive $30.33 in cash for each Shire share and Takeda shares. The agreement is subject to the approval of Shire and Takeda shareholders and customary closing conditions. Upon the closing of the transaction, Takeda shareholders will own approximately 50% of the combined group.

The integrated company will be headquartered in Japan and will be listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange and New York Stock Exchange. The company also reported that it will expand its R&D presence in the Boston area and have regional locations in Japan, Singapore, Switzerland, and the United States.

Takeda also announced that it has entered into a bridge facility agreement of $30.85 billion with several banks to fund the cash consideration payable to Shire shareholders for the acquisition; the company anticipates that the commitments under the bridge facility agreement will be reduced or refinanced prior to the date of the acquisition.