Bristol-Myers Squibb Shareholders Approve Celgene Acquisition

Bristol-Myers Squibb shareholders have voted to approve the issuance of shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb common stock in connection with the pending $74-billion merger with Celgene, Bristol-Myers Squibb announced on April 12, 2019. The vote took place at the company’s special meeting of Stockholders.

“We are pleased with the outcome of today’s [s]pecial [m]eeting and thank our shareholders for their support for this combination,” said Giovanni Caforio, MD, Bristol-Myers Squibb’s chairman and CEO, in a company press release. “Together with Celgene, we will create a premier innovative biopharma company with leading scientific capabilities that is well positioned to address the needs of patients through high-value innovative medicines. We look forward to bringing the companies together, which we believe will deliver significant shareholder value.”

More than 75% of the shares voted at the special meeting were voted in favor of the Celgene merger agreement. Bristol-Myers Squibb will file the final vote results, as certified by the independent inspector of election, on a Form 8-K with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

The transaction is on track to close in the third quarter of 2019, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals. Bristol-Myers Squibb announced the acquisition in January 2019.

Source: Bristol-Myers Squibb