Amid Takeda takeover, Shire results make pleasant reading for Japanese suitor

In a quarter that was dominated by speculation over the protracted courtship dance of Takeda Pharmaceutical (TYO: 4502), London-listed Shire (LSE: SHP) managed to deliver strong revenues of $3.8 billion, a 5% increase on the same period last year.

Coming just a day after the London-listed rare disease specialist signalled its assent to being bought for £46 billion ($64 billion), Shire’s results demonstrate growth driven by its immunology business and by recently-launched products, as well as international expansion efforts.

Earlier this month, French pharma firm Servier agreed to buy Shire’s oncology business for $2.4 billion, a sign of the firm’s evolving strategic focus. The share of sales attributable to the firm’s core rare disease business increased 10% this quarter.