Ireland-based Shire PLC acquired privately held sanaplasma AG, a Switzerland-based plasma collection company.

The acquisition will increase Shire's access to blood plasma in the long term, the biotechnology company said in a news release. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Shire needs plasma to manufacture its immunoglobulin therapies that are used for treating rare immunological diseases. Immunology is the company's biggest source of revenue, generating $4.4 billion in product sales in 2017.

Sanaplasma operates 14 plasma collection centers in the Czech Republic and Hungary.

Japan's Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. is in the process of acquiring Shire.