Shire to Acquire NPS Pharma as Further Step in Building a Leading Biotech

Shire and NPS Pharmaceuticals have entered into a merger agreement pursuant to which Shire will acquire all the outstanding shares of NPS Pharma for $46.00 per share in cash, for a total consideration of approximately $5.2 billion. Shire will accelerate the growth of NPS Pharma’s innovative portfolio through its market expertise in gastrointestinal (GI) disorders, core capabilities in rare disease patient management, and global footprint. The transaction has been approved unanimously by the Boards of Directors of both Shire and NPS Pharma.

NPS Pharma is a rare disease-focused biopharmaceutical company and its first product, Gattex/Revestive (teduglutide [rDNA origin]) for injection, is approved in the US and Europe to treat adults with short bowel syndrome (SBS) who are dependent on parenteral support. NPS Pharma also has a registration phase product, Natpara/Natpar (rhPTH -83) for the treatment of hypoparathyroidism (HPT).

The $46.00 per share price in the transaction represents a 51% premium to NPS Pharma's unaffected share price of $30.47 on December 16, 2014.
 

Shire’s CEO, Flemming Ornskov, commented: “The acquisition of NPS Pharma is a significant step in advancing Shire’s strategy to become a leading biotechnology company. With our global strength and expertise in both rare diseases and GI, Shire is uniquely positioned to drive the continued success of Gattex/Revestive, and, if approved, commercialize NPS Pharma’s pipeline compound Natpara/Natpar.

“We look forward to accelerating the growth of the NPS Pharma portfolio based on our proven track record of maximizing value from acquired assets and commercial execution. The NPS Pharma organization will be a welcome addition to Shire as we continue to help transform the lives of patients with rare diseases.”

Francois Nader, President, CEO and Director of NPS Pharma, stated: “Shire shares NPS Pharma’s commitment to patients with rare diseases. We believe that joining our two companies will drive value for shareholders and ensure we continue to transform the lives of patients with short bowel syndrome, hypoparathyroidism and autosomal dominant hypocalcemia worldwide. I am confident that this transaction will accelerate our ambition of creating a world where every person living with a rare disease has a therapy. I would like to thank all of our employees for their continued outstanding contributions and steadfast commitment to the patients we serve.”