Baxalta Announces Preliminary Merger Consideration Election Results

BANNOCKBURN, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Baxalta Incorporated (NYSE:BXLT) today announced the preliminary results of the elections made by its stockholders as to the form of stock consideration to be received in Baxalta’s merger with Shire plc (LSE: SHP, NASDAQ: SHPG).

As previously announced, upon the consummation of the merger, each outstanding Baxalta share will be converted into the right to receive:

Based on available information, the exchange agent for the election process has advised that, as of the election deadline of 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on May 20, 2016, holders of approximately 41,803,203 Baxalta shares, or approximately 6.10% of the outstanding Baxalta shares, elected to receive ordinary shares of Shire rather than Shire ADSs.

Baxalta stockholders who made an ordinary share election will be unable to sell or otherwise transfer their shares unless the ordinary share election was properly revoked prior to the election deadline or unless the merger agreement is terminated. Baxalta stockholders who did not make an ordinary share election or who properly revoked any such election prior to the election deadline will, by default, receive Shire ADSs in the merger.

About Baxalta

Baxalta Incorporated (NYSE:BXLT) is a global biopharmaceutical leader developing, manufacturing and commercializing therapies for orphan diseases and underserved conditions in hematology, immunology and oncology. Driven by passion to make a meaningful impact on patients’ lives, Baxalta’s broad and diverse pipeline includes biologics with novel mechanisms and advanced technology platforms such as gene therapy. Launched in 2015 following separation from Baxter International, Baxalta’s heritage in biopharmaceuticals spans decades. Baxalta’s therapies are available in more than 100 countries and it has advanced biological manufacturing operations across 12 facilities, including state-of-the-art recombinant production and plasma fractionation. Headquartered in Northern Illinois, with its Global Innovation Center in Cambridge, Mass., Baxalta employs 17,000 employees worldwide.

Forward-Looking Statements

This release includes forward-looking statements concerning Baxalta’s proposed combination with Shire. Such statements are made of the date that they were first issued and are based on current expectations, beliefs and assumptions of management. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which involve factors or circumstances that are beyond Baxalta’s control and which could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements, including the following: the inability to complete the proposed combination with Shire due to failure to obtain the approval of Baxalta’s or Shire’s stockholders or the failure to satisfy other conditions to completion of the proposed combination; the failure to obtain regulatory approvals required for the proposed combination, or required regulatory approvals delaying the proposed combination or causing the parties to abandon the proposed combination; the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstance that could give rise to the termination of the merger agreement related to the proposed combination; the amount of the costs, fees, expenses and charges related to the proposed combination; the effect of the announcement of the proposed combination on Baxalta’s client relationships, operating results and business generally, including without limitation the ability to retain key employees; the potential diversion of Baxalta’s management’s attention resulting from the proposed combination and of the combined company’s management’s attention resulting from integration issues after the proposed combination; and other risks identified in Baxalta’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filings, all of which are available on Baxalta’s website, as well as other risks related to the proposed combination identified in Shire’s respective filings with the SEC. Baxalta expressly disclaims any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements except as required by law.

Additional Information

This communication does not constitute an offer to buy or solicitation of any offer to sell securities or a solicitation of any vote or approval. It does not constitute a prospectus or prospectus equivalent document. This communication relates to the proposed business combination between Shire and Baxalta. The proposed combination will be submitted to Shire’s and Baxalta’s shareholders for their consideration and approval. In connection with the proposed combination, Shire and Baxalta have filed relevant materials with (i) the SEC, including a Shire registration statement on Form S-4 with a prospectus of Shire, as well as a proxy statement of Baxalta, and (ii) the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in the UK, including a prospectus relating to Shire ordinary shares to be issued in connection with the proposed combination and a circular to the shareholders of Shire. Baxalta has mailed the proxy statement to its shareholders and Shire has mailed the circular to its shareholders. This communication is not a substitute for the registration statement, proxy statement, prospectus, UK prospectus, circular or other document(s) that Shire and/or Baxalta may file with the SEC or the FCA in connection with the proposed transaction. INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS OF SHIRE AND BAXALTA ARE URGED TO READ CAREFULLY THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT, PROXY STATEMENT, PROSPECTUS AND OTHER DOCUMENTS FILED WITH THE SEC AND THE UK PROSPECTUS AND CIRCULAR BECAUSE THEY CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT SHIRE, BAXALTA AND THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION. Investors and security holders may obtain free copies of these documents and other related documents filed with the SEC at the SEC’s web site at www.sec.gov. Investors may request copies of the documents filed with the SEC by Shire by directing a request to Shire’s Investor Relations department at Shire plc, Attention: Investor Relations, 300 Shire Way, Lexington, MA 02421 or to Shire’s Investor Relations department at 781-482-9018 in the U.S. and +44 1256 894157 in the UK or by email to investorrelations@shire.com. Investors may request copies of the documents filed with the SEC by Baxalta by directing a request to Mary Kay Ladone, Head of Investor Relations, at mary.kay.ladone@baxalta.com or (224) 940-3371.

Certain Information Regarding Participants

Shire, Baxalta and their respective directors and executive officers may be deemed participants in the solicitation of proxies in connection with the proposed transaction. You can find information about Shire’s directors and executive officers in Shire’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015, which was filed with the SEC on February 23, 2016. You can find information about Baxalta’s directors and executive officers in Baxalta’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015, which was filed with the SEC on March 3, 2016. Additional information regarding the special interests of these directors and executive officers in the proposed transaction are also included in the proxy statement related to the transaction, which Baxalta filed with the SEC on April 18, 2016. You may obtain these documents free of charge at the SEC’s web site at www.sec.gov and from Investor Relations at Shire or Baxalta as described above.

This communication shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. No offering of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended.