Monsanto’s offer yielded 97.5% of Searle’s shares.

The St. Louis-based conglomerate announced that its cash tender offer for all shares of G. D. Searle & Co. brought about 41 million shares of the pharmaceutical firm. Monsanto said it accepted all shares validly tendered as of the Aug. 23 expiration date of the offer and will make payment as quickly as possible. The company said it expects to complete the acquisition by Oct. 1.