Alexion Pharmaceuticals soars 35% after AstraZeneca agrees to $39 billion takeover

Robert Giroux/Getty ImagesAlexion Pharmaceuticals soared 35% in pre-market trading after the announcement of its $39 billion acquisition by AstraZeneca.The deal has clear gains for both sides, but AstraZeneca's shares slid 6% after news of the UK firm's biggest purchase ever."If you don't have cash, don't buy a large company unless it is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and has strong strategic merits," a portfolio manager said.Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.Alexion Pharmaceu