(Reuters) -AstraZeneca shareholders approved a direct listing of the drugmaker’s shares on the New York Stock Exchange on Monday, giving it access to a deeper capital pool.

The drugmaker said 99.36% of votes cast in a general meeting favoured the proposal. The company needed at least 75% of votes for the resolution to pass.

AstraZeneca, London’s most valuable company, outlined plans for a much-anticipated U.S. direct listing in September, replacing its existing American depositary receipts on the Nasdaq with ordinary shares on the NYSE, while retaining its London and Stockholm listings.

The U.S. market accounts for more than 40% of AstraZeneca’s revenue, making it critical to CEO Pascal Soriot’s growth strategy and future outlook amid mounting political scrutiny.

AstraZeneca Chair Mich

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