Shareholders give thumbs-up to IMS Health takeover

More than 75% of stockholders backed the deal, which will see them receive $22 a share.

TPG Capital and the CCP Investment Board made their move to buy IMS last November following speculation that the firm was the target of a private equity buy-out.

The deal is still subject to the satisfaction or waiver of certain other closing conditions, but is expected to be completed during the first quarter of 2010. The takeover cleared all antitrust hurdles last week.

IMS, which is headed by CEO David Carlucci (pictured), came close to being bought by VNU (now The Nielsen Company) in 2005 but the deal fell through when VNU shareholders opposed it.