Shire traces its history back to 1986, when a small team of entrepreneurs sought out a solution to address on a number of unmet medical needs. Within its first two years of operation, the company had launched a range of supplemental calcium products for patients seeking to treat or prevent osteoporosis. Soon thereafter, innovative drug development programs were under way on behalf of patients facing such challenging conditions as Alzheimer's disease and end-stage renal failure.

By 1992, Shire had embarked on the first of what would be a series of strategic acquisitions -- these were bold ventures that fortified our product lines and underscored the wisdom of a business model focused exclusively on products sold to specialist physicians. After the turn of the millennium, with the acquisition of TKT, we began our focus on rare diseases, something that remains a strategic focus for the company today. The Shire pipeline continues to be sustained by creative acquisitions and innovative licensing deals. Smart commercialization strategies have ensured that the right patients and the right physicians have the information they need to make appropriate choices about treatment options.

In June 2016, Shire completed a combination with Baxalta, creating the world’s leading global biotechnology company focused on serving patients with rare diseases and other highly specialized conditions. With nearly 24,000 employees across more than 100 countries, Shire’s expanded global reach and best-in-class products offer the potential to help even more patients around the world with significant unmet needs.