Cigarette group takes control of asthma inhaler maker
CNN
Cigarette giant Philip Morris International has taken control of UK inhaler maker Vectura despite objections from health care charities.
The producer of Marlboro and Parliament cigarettes said in a statement on Thursday that it had secured nearly 75% of Vectura's shares, making it the majority shareholder. More than 45% of Vectura shareholders accepted the takeover offer, and Philip Morris international purchased 29% of the company's shares on the open market.
"We have reached an important milestone in our acquisition of Vectura," Jacek Olczak, CEO of Philip Morris International (PM), said in a statement. "We are very excited about the critical role Vectura will play in our Beyond Nicotine strategy."
After recent burglaries at homes of professional athletes – including Kansas City Chiefs stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce – the NFL and NBA have issued security memos to teams and players warning that “organized and skilled groups” are increasingly targeting players’ residences for such crimes.