Servier International, an independent international pharmaceutical company, acquired the oncology unit of Shire, a leading global biotechnology company focused on rare diseases, for $2.4bn. “The acquisition of Shire's oncology franchise enables Servier to meet its strategic ambitions to become a key player in oncology globally. It is a major step in the transformation of the Group, allowing us to establish a direct commercial presence in the US, as well as to strengthen our portfolio of marketed products in the ex-US territories where Servier is already present. Our goal is to bring these life-saving treatments to greater numbers of cancer patients around the world”, said Olivier Laureau, President of Servier Group. “We thoroughly look forward to welcoming Shire’s dedicated oncology teams who will join Servier after the closing."