Shire Inches Closer to Accepting Takeda’s $64 Billion Takeover

The combined entity would be the world’s eighth-largest drugmaker

Shire PLC said Wednesday it is willing to recommend that shareholders accept Takeda Pharmaceutical Co.’s last-ditch $64 billion takeover bid and extended the deadline for a possible deal to May 8.

If successful, the move would cap a monthslong battle by Takeda to buy the European company and mark the largest-ever acquisition by a Japanese company of a Western rival.

On...