Takeda chief says Shire deal a step toward becoming global leader

Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. President Christophe Weber said Wednesday the 46 billion pounds ($62 billion) deal to buy Irish drugmaker Shire Plc. is a big step forward for the leading Japanese drugmaker to become a global leader in the industry.A day after announcing the biggest-ever Japanese acquisition of a foreign company, Weber told a press conference in Tokyo that Shire's business, which is strong in the United States -- the world's largest drug market --, is "very complimentary to Takeda's business."He also said the deal, pending approval at a Takeda general shareholders meeting, will gi…READ FULL ARTICLE