Shire notes the announcement made by Takeda and confirms it has received a fourth proposal on 20 April 2018 regarding a possible offer for the Company (the "Fourth Proposal") (Press release, Shire, APR 20, 2018, View Source [SID1234525816]).

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The Fourth Proposal comprises £26 per share in new Takeda shares, to be listed in Japan and in the US through an ADR listing, and £21 per share in cash, representing a potential value of £47 per share and approximately £44 billion for the total issued and to be issued share capital of the Company. Based on Takeda’s current market capitalisation, Shire shareholders would own approximately 49 per cent. of the enlarged Takeda.

The Board of Shire is considering its position with respect to the Fourth Proposal and will issue a further announcement in due course.

This announcement is made without the consent of Takeda.

Person responsible

Stephen Williams, Deputy Company Secretary, is responsible for arranging the release of this announcement on behalf of the Company.

Publication on a website

In accordance with Rule 26.1 of the Code, a copy of this announcement will be made available, subject to certain restrictions relating to persons resident in restricted jurisdictions, on Shire’s website at www.shire.com by no later than noon (London time) on the business day following this announcement. The content of this website is not incorporated into and does not form part of this announcement.

Further information

This announcement is not intended to, and does not, constitute or form part of any offer, invitation or the solicitation of an offer to purchase, otherwise acquire, subscribe for, sell or otherwise dispose of, any securities whether pursuant to this announcement or otherwise.

The distribution of this announcement in jurisdictions outside the United Kingdom may be restricted by law and therefore persons into whose possession this announcement comes should inform themselves about, and observe, such restrictions. Any failure to comply with the restrictions may constitute a violation of the securities law of any such jurisdiction.

Citigroup Global Markets Limited, which is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated in the UK by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority in the United Kingdom, is acting for Shire and no one else in connection with the matters described in this announcement and shall not be responsible to anyone other than Shire for providing the protections afforded to clients of Citigroup Global Markets Limited, or for giving advice in connection with the matters described in this announcement or any matter referred to therein.

Goldman Sachs International, which is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority in the United Kingdom, is acting for Shire and no one else in connection with the matters described in this announcement and will not be responsible to anyone other than Shire for providing the protections afforded to clients of Goldman Sachs International, or for giving advice in connection with the matters described in this announcement or any matter referred to herein.

Morgan Stanley & Co. International plc, which is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority in the United Kingdom, is acting for Shire and no one else in connection with the matters described in this announcement and will not be responsible to anyone other than Shire for providing the protections afforded to clients of Morgan Stanley & Co. International plc, or for giving advice in connection with the matters described in this announcement or any matter referred to herein.

Disclosure requirements of the Code

Under Rule 8.3(a) of the Code, any person who is interested in 1% or more of any class of relevant securities of an offeree company or of any securities exchange offeror (being any offeror other than an offeror in respect of which it has been announced that its offer is, or is likely to be, solely in cash) must make an Opening Position Disclosure following the commencement of the offer period and, if later, following the announcement in which any securities exchange offeror is first identified. An Opening Position Disclosure must contain details of the person’s interests and short positions in, and rights to subscribe for, any relevant securities of each of (i) the offeree company and (ii) any securities exchange offeror(s). An Opening Position Disclosure by a person to whom Rule 8.3(a) applies must be made by no later than 3.30 pm (London time) on the 10th business day following the commencement of the offer period and, if appropriate, by no later than 3.30 pm (London time) on the 10th business day following the announcement in which any securities exchange offeror is first identified. Relevant persons who deal in the relevant securities of the offeree company or of a securities exchange offeror prior to the deadline for making an Opening Position Disclosure must instead make a Dealing Disclosure.

Under Rule 8.3(b) of the Code, any person who is, or becomes, interested in 1% or more of any class of relevant securities of the offeree company or of any securities exchange offeror must make a Dealing Disclosure if the person deals in any relevant securities of the offeree company or of any securities exchange offeror. A Dealing Disclosure must contain details of the dealing concerned and of the person’s interests and short positions in, and rights to subscribe for, any relevant securities of each of (i) the offeree company and (ii) any securities exchange offeror(s), save to the extent that these details have previously been disclosed under Rule 8. A Dealing Disclosure by a person to whom Rule 8.3(b) applies must be made by no later than 3.30 pm (London time) on the business day following the date of the relevant dealing.

If two or more persons act together pursuant to an agreement or understanding, whether formal or informal, to acquire or control an interest in relevant securities of an offeree company or a securities exchange offeror, they will be deemed to be a single person for the purpose of Rule 8.3.

Opening Position Disclosures must also be made by the offeree company and by any offeror and Dealing Disclosures must also be made by the offeree company, by any offeror and by any persons acting in concert with any of them (see Rules 8.1, 8.2 and 8.4).

Details of the offeree and offeror companies in respect of whose relevant securities Opening Position Disclosures and Dealing Disclosures must be made can be found in the Disclosure Table on the Takeover Panel’s website at www.thetakeoverpanel.org.uk, including details of the number of relevant securities in issue, when the offer period commenced and when any offeror was first identified. You should contact the Panel’s Market Surveillance Unit on +44 (0)20 7638 0129 if you are in any doubt as to whether you are required to make an Opening Position Disclosure or a Dealing Disclosure.