BRIEF—US FTC clears Takeda's acquisition of Shire

Takeda Pharmaceutical says it has received unconditional clearance from the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for the proposed $62 billion acquisition of Ireland-headquartered rare diseases specialist Shire that was announced on May 8, 2018.

The FTC’s unconditional clearance of the acquisition is another significant milestone in the transaction process, the Japanese drug major said.

The acquisition remains subject to a number of conditions, including receipt of other regulatory clearances and approval by the shareholders of both companies.

Takeda’s shares were unchanged following the announcement today.