BioCentury
ARTICLE | Strategy

Refashioning Takeda

Acquisition of Shire would radically depart from Takeda’s strategy to date

March 31, 2018 1:23 AM UTC

Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd.’s potential acquisition of Shire plc appears to be timed to take advantage of the chance to acquire products and a global footprint on the cheap.

The combination would create a global biopharma company, which President and CEO Christophe Weber told BioCentury in 2016 was his mandate. In particular, Shire would contribute a strong presence in the U.S., the source of two-thirds of 2017 revenues. Takeda reported that the U.S. accounted for 34% of its revenues through the first nine months of FY17...