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UK/ US Shire, Baxalta to announce $30bn merger as soon as Monday

By  |  January 7, 2016
Rare disease drugmaker Shire Pharmaceuticals is preparing to announce its roughly $32.5 billion acquisition of US peer Baxalta International as early as Monday, according to people familiar with the matter.

The deal would come after Reuters first reported on Dec. 22 that Shire’s latest offer for Baxalta had met the latter’s valuation expectations. It would be one of the healthcare sector’s largest mergers in 2016.

The acquisition would mark the culmination of a long pursuit hinged partly on how much cash Shire could offer without triggering additional taxes for Baxalta. Reuters first reported Shire’s renewed effort to court Baxalta in November.

The deal would mark a strong start to healthcare M&A in 2016, after the sector saw it’s biggest deal making streak in history last year.

Full content: Reuters

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