Just hours before a deadline imposed by the UK Takeover Panel, AbbVie has finally got the backing of Shire’s Board of Directors for its sweetened £32 B (US$54.8 B) cash and share offer for the company. The deal, the largest tax inversion in the life sciences sector to date, will lower the company’s effective tax rate to approximately 13% from 22% at present. It will also bring in a diversified portfolio, including Vyvanse® (lisdexamfetamine dimesylate) for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and rare disease therapies such as Elaprase® (idursulphase) and Replagal® (agalsidase alpha), thus reducing AbbVie’s reliance on Humira® (adalimumab).