Dutch chemicals group DSM NV won final clearance from US regulators today to take over the vitamins and fine chemicals unit of Swiss rival Roche.
DSM and Roche Holding said in a statement that US anti-trust regulators had approved the acquisition and that the deal, making DSM the world's biggest vitamin maker, would be effective from October 1st, when DSM would give further information on the business.
The green light from the Federal Trade Commission was the final hurdle for the transaction. In July, the European Union had approved the roughly €1.75 billion sale.
The deal reflects DSM's strategic shift from commodity-type products towards high-margin specialty chemicals and Roche's concentration on its core drugs and diagnostics businesses.