Complex sentence: On 8 December 2014, Merck & Co. acquired Cubist for $102 per share in cash (US $8.4BN) as entree to the market for drugs that can combat superbugs.
Split into simpler sentences: On 8 December 2014, Merck & Co. acquired Cubist for $102 per share in cash. In December 2014, Cubist Pharma was acquired by Merck & Co. for $8.4 billion, as the latter looked to enter the market for drugs that can combat superbugs.