Shire Plc has agreed to buy U.S. group NPS Pharmaceuticals Inc. for $5.2 billion in cash, expanding its portfolio of medicines for rare diseases. Shire gains two new drugs, Gattex, a treatment for short-bowel syndrome (SBS), and Natpara, which is awaiting approval from the FDA for hypoparathyroidism. According to Thomson Reuters Cortellis, the two NPS medicines may achieve annual sales of $509 million and $534 million, respectively, by 2019.
 
SBS is a potentially fatal gastrointestinal disorder that can leave patients dependent on intravenous feeding, and hypoparathyroidism is an endocrine disease caused by absent or damaged parathyroid glands.
 
Shire’s chief executive officer, Flemming Ornskov, MD, MPH, said, “The acquisition of NPS Pharma is a significant step in advancing Shire’s strategy to become a leading biotechnology company. With our global strength and expertise in both rare diseases and GI, Shire is uniquely positioned to drive the continued success of GATTEX/REVESTIVE, and, if approved, commercialize NPS Pharma’s pipeline compound NATPARA/NATPAR.
 
“We look forward to accelerating the growth of the NPS Pharma portfolio based on our proven track record of maximizing value from acquired assets and commercial execution. The NPS Pharma organization will be a welcome addition to Shire as we continue to help transform the lives of patients with rare diseases.”
 
Francois Nader, MD, president, chief executive officer and director of NPS Pharma, said,
“Shire shares NPS Pharma’s commitment to patients with rare diseases. We believe that joining our two companies will drive value for shareholders and ensure we continue to transform the lives of patients with short bowel syndrome, hypoparathyroidism, and autosomal dominant hypocalcemia worldwide. I am confident that this transaction will accelerate our ambition of creating a world where every person living with a rare disease has a therapy.