Shire plc, the global specialty biopharmaceutical company, announces that a Luxembourg incorporated wholly-owned subsidiary of Shire plc will launch a voluntary public takeover offer for all the shares in Movetis NV, the Belgium-based European specialty gastrointestinal (GI) company. Movetis is listed on Euronext and focuses on discovering, developing and commercializing innovative treatments for GI conditions with a high unmet medical need.

Movetis’ board unanimously supports the transaction and will recommend acceptance of the offer to its shareholders. Institutional shareholders holding 38.9% of Movetis’ issued share capital, have unconditionally agreed to accept the offer in respect of their own shares.

This proposed acquisition will significantly broaden Shire’s GI portfolio and immediately add growing revenues, further expanding Shire’s GI market presence in Europe with the recently launched RESOLOR(R) (prucalopride), a new chemical entity. RESOLOR is approved in the 27 countries of the European Union as well as Iceland, Lichtenstein and Norway and is indicated for the symptomatic treatment of chronic constipation in women in whom laxatives fail to provide adequate relief. Movetis has the rights to RESOLOR in the EU, Iceland, Lichtenstein, Norway and Switzerland and is entitled to royalties on sales of RESOLOR outside of Europe from Johnson & Johnson.

Mike Cola, President of Shire’s Specialty Pharmaceuticals business, comments: “This proposed acquisition of Movetis provides a highly complementary fit for our GI business unit and supports our strategy of expanding our specialty product portfolio into international markets. This is aligned with our strategy of developing and commercializing medicines to address symptomatic diseases treated by specialist physicians, in this case gastroenterologists. The acquisition of Movetis will provide immediate revenue from a newly-launched product that has strong patent protection, as well as a promising GI pipeline.”