Shire to buy NPS Pharmaceuticals for $5.2 billion By: MarketWatch January 11, 2015 at 12:50 PM EST Shire PLC says it is buying NPS Pharmaceuticals Inc. for $5.2 billion in a takeover that would mark the Irish drug maker’s return to deal-making. Read More >> Related Stocks: AbbVie Macy's Shire Plc Ads