By William Horobin
PARIS--France's Dassault Systèmes (DSY.FR) on Wednesday extended
its public tender offer for all shares of U.S.-based Accelrys Inc.
(ACCL) to April 8 pending an investigation by U.S. authorities
relating to national security concerns.
The French software company said the Committee on Foreign
Investment in the United States will be undertaking an
investigation of the acquisition that could run until May 8. The
tender offer is extended only until April 8 because of an agreement
with Accelrys that the offer can only be extended in 10 day
blocks.
"Dassault Systèmes continues to believe the acquisition of
Accelrys by Dassault Systèmes does not raise national security
concerns," the company said in a statement.
Shareholders have already tendered shares equal to 74.8% of
Accelrys.
Dassault Systèmes offered in late January to pay $12.50 for each
Accelrys share valuing the company at $750 million. Accelrys shares
were traded at $9.72 before the offer.
Accelrys board has recommended the deal which is expected to be
closed in the second quarter of this year.
San Diego-based Accelrys makes biotech, petrochemical and
pharmaceutical industrial software for companies like Sanofi,
Pfizer, Royal Dutch Shell, Unilever and L'Oreal.
-Write to William Horobin at william.horobin@wsj.com