Takeda to Buy Nycomed for $9.1 Billion to Fill Sales Gap

Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. agreed to buy closely held Nycomed for 6.3 billion euros ($9.1 billion) in the largest takeover by a Japanese drugmaker to cushion the blow of losing patent protection on its best-selling diabetes pill and expand in emerging markets.

Asia’s biggest pharmaceutical company will pay cash for Zurich-based Nycomed, which is controlled by Nordic Capital and Credit Suisse Group AG’s private-equity unit, Osaka-based Takeda said in a statement today.