Offer for Cambridge Antibody
AstraZeneca PLC
22 June 2006
NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IN, INTO OR
FROM ANY JURISDICTION WHERE TO DO SO WOULD CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF THE
RELEVANT LAWS OF SUCH JURISDICTION
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
22 June 2006
Recommended Cash Offer
by AstraZeneca UK Limited
for
Cambridge Antibody Technology Group plc
Offer Declared Unconditional and Initial Offer Period Extended
AstraZeneca announces that it has acquired, or received valid acceptances of the
Offer in respect of, 37,261,730 CAT Shares in aggregate, representing
approximately 86.7 per cent. of the CAT Shares to which the Offer relates.
As at 3.00pm (London time), 10.00am (New York City time) on 21 June 2006, being
the first closing date of the recommended cash offer for the entire issued and
to be issued share capital of CAT not otherwise held by AstraZeneca, valid
acceptances of the Offer had been received in respect of 31,661,730 CAT Shares
(including CAT Shares represented by 1,840,347 CAT ADSs), representing
approximately 73.7 per cent. of the CAT Shares to which the Offer relates. None
of these acceptances were received from persons acting in concert with
AstraZeneca. Of these valid acceptances, valid elections for the Loan Note
Alternative had been received in respect of a total of 516,924 CAT Shares.
Including the 5,600,000 CAT Shares acquired by AstraZeneca on 23 May 2006,
AstraZeneca has acquired, or received valid acceptances of the Offer in respect
of, 37,261,730 CAT Shares (including CAT Shares represented by 1,840,347 CAT
ADSs) in aggregate, representing approximately 86.7 per cent. of the CAT Shares
to which the Offer relates.
For the purposes of this announcement, the number of CAT Shares (including those
represented by CAT ADRs) to which the Offer relates is 42,988,803, being the
53,206,786 shares in issue as of the date of this announcement less the
10,217,983 shares held by AstraZeneca prior to the commencement of the Offer
Period.
Including the 10,217,983 CAT Shares held by AstraZeneca prior to the
commencement of the Offer Period, AstraZeneca has acquired, or received valid
acceptances of the Offer in respect of, 47,479,713 CAT Shares (including CAT
Shares represented by 1,840,347 CAT ADSs) in aggregate, representing 89.2 per
cent. of the existing issued share capital of CAT.
In addition to CAT ADSs tendered prior to 3.00pm (London time), 10.00am (New
York City time), on 21 June 2006, 263,740 ADSs are subject to notice of
guarantee delivery period.
AstraZeneca hereby waives Condition 1 to the Offer (i.e., the 90 per cent.
minimum acceptance condition). All of the conditions of the Offer have now been
satisfied or waived and the Offer has been declared unconditional in all
respects.
The Initial Offer Period is extended and remains open for acceptance, and
withdrawal rights of persons that have tendered their securities into the Offer
continue to exist, until the closing of the Initial Offer Period which is now
expected to be 3.00pm (London time), 10.00am (New York City time) on 29 June
2006, unless further extended.
Prior to the announcement of the Offer, AstraZeneca had received irrevocable
undertakings to accept the Offer in respect of 190,569 CAT Shares in aggregate*,
representing approximately 0.36 per cent. of the existing issued share capital
of CAT. Valid acceptances have been received in respect of all of these CAT
Shares and such acceptances are included in the total referred to above.
As at the date of this announcement, affiliates of Goldman Sachs International
and Deutsche Bank (who are acting in concert (within the meaning of the City
Code) with AstraZeneca) held 78,084 CAT Shares in aggregate, representing 0.15
per cent. of the existing issued share capital of CAT.
To the extent they have not already done so, holders of CAT Shares and CAT ADSs
who hold such securities in certificated form who have not yet accepted the
Offer but wish to do so should complete and return their Form of Acceptance and
Letter of Transmittal as soon as possible in accordance with the instructions
set out in the Offer Document and in the Form of Acceptance and Letter of
Transmittal. The CAT Shareholders and ADS holders who hold their CAT Shares in
uncertificated or book-entry form and who have not yet accepted the Offer but
wish to do so are reminded to take the necessary steps through CREST or their
respective Agent Institution (as applicable) as soon as possible.
Settlement of the consideration to accepting CAT Shareholders and accepting
holders of CAT ADSs (including holders of CAT ADSs that deliver a Notice of
Guaranteed Delivery in a timely manner) or their designated agents will, except
with the consent of the Panel, be effected as set out below:
(a) in the case of acceptances received complete in all respects
by today and not subsequently withdrawn, within 14 calendar days; or
(b) in the case of acceptances received complete in all respects
after today but while the Offer remains open for acceptance, within 14 calendar
days of such receipt.
Holders of CAT Shares and ADSs who have already accepted the Offer, but whose
willingness to accept the Offer may be affected by the termination of their
withdrawal rights following the close of the Initial Offer Period (which will be
on 29 June 2006, at the earliest) have the right, until the Initial Offer Period
closes for acceptance, to withdraw their acceptances with respect to such
securities.
Defined terms used in this announcement have the same meanings as in the Offer
Document dated 23 May 2006.
*Beneficial title to the 9,529 CAT shares in respect of which Peter Chambre gave
an irrevocable undertaking, and which were beneficially held by Peter Chambre's
wife, was transferred to Peter Chambre after 23 May 2006.
Enquiries:
AstraZeneca
Media Enquiries:
Steve Brown (London) +44 (0)20 7304 5033
Edel McCaffrey (London) +44 (0) 20 7304 5034
Staffan Ternby (Sweden) +46 8 553 26107
Analyst/Investor Enquiries:
Jonathan Hunt (London) +44 (0) 20 7304 5087
Goldman Sachs International +44 (0) 20 7774 1000
Guy Slimmon
Mark Sorrell
This announcement is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an
offer to sell or an invitation to purchase any securities or the solicitation of
an offer to buy any securities, pursuant to the Offer or otherwise. This
announcement also does not constitute a Solicitation / Recommendation Statement
under the rules and regulations of the US Securities and Exchange Commission
(the 'SEC'). The Offer is being made solely by means of the Offer Document and
the Form of Acceptance accompanying the Offer Document, which contain the full
terms and conditions of the Offer, including details of how the Offer may be
accepted. In the United States, AstraZeneca has filed a Tender Offer Statement
containing the Offer Document and other related documentation with the SEC on
Schedule TO and CAT has filed a Solicitation/Recommendation Statement with the
SEC on Schedule 14D-9. Free copies of the Schedule TO, the Schedule 14D-9 and
the other related documents filed by AstraZeneca or CAT in connection with this
Offer are available on the SEC's website at http://www.sec.gov. The Offer
Document and Acceptance Forms accompanying the Offer Document have been made
available to all CAT Shareholders at no charge to them. CAT Shareholders are
advised to read the Offer Document and the accompanying Acceptance Forms as they
contain important information. CAT Shareholders in the United States are also
advised to read the Tender Offer Statement and the Solicitation/Recommendation
Statement as they contain important information.
Goldman Sachs International, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial
Services Authority, is acting exclusively for AstraZeneca and no one else in
connection with the Offer and will not be responsible to anyone other than
AstraZeneca for providing the protections afforded to clients of Goldman Sachs
International or for providing advice in relation to the Offer or any other
matters referred to in this announcement.
The availability of the Offer to CAT Shareholders who are not resident in and
citizens of the United Kingdom or the United States may be affected by the laws
of the relevant jurisdictions in which they are located or of which they are
citizens. Such persons should inform themselves of, and observe, any applicable
legal or regulatory requirements of their jurisdictions. Further details in
relation to overseas shareholders are contained in the Offer Document.
The Loan Notes which may be issued pursuant to the Loan Note Alternative have
not been, and will not be, listed on any stock exchange and have not been, and
will not be, registered under the Securities Act or under any relevant laws of
any state or other jurisdiction of the United States, nor have clearances been,
nor will they be, obtained from the securities commission or similar authority
of any province or territory of Canada and no prospectus has been, or will be,
filed, or registration made, under any securities law of any province or
territory of Canada, nor has a prospectus in relation to the Loan Notes been,
nor will one be, lodged with, or registered by, the Australian Securities and
Investments Commission, nor have any steps been taken, nor will any steps be
taken, to enable the Loan Notes to be offered in compliance with applicable
securities laws of Japan. Accordingly, unless an exemption under relevant
securities laws is available, the Loan Notes may not be offered, sold, re-sold
or delivered, directly or indirectly, in, into or from the United States or any
other Loan Note Restricted Jurisdiction in which an offer of Loan Notes would
constitute a violation of relevant laws or require registration of the Loan
Notes, or to or for the account or benefit of any US person or resident of any
other Loan Note Restricted Jurisdiction.
Unless otherwise determined by AstraZeneca and permitted by applicable law and
regulation, subject to certain exemptions, the Offer will not be capable of
acceptance from or within a Restricted Jurisdiction. Accordingly, copies of this
announcement must not be, directly or indirectly, mailed or otherwise forwarded,
distributed or sent in, into or from a Restricted Jurisdiction and persons
receiving this announcement (including custodians, nominees and trustees) should
observe these restrictions and must not mail or otherwise distribute this
announcement in, into or from any such jurisdictions.
This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange