Wrinkles

... RED HERRING Join the RH community - it's FREE CapitalIndustriesBiosciencesCommunicationsComputingEnergyEntertainment & MediaInternet & ServicesSecurity & DefenseVenture CapitalProfilesQ&ARegionsBriefingsMetrics Research Newsletters Events Subscribe Now Customer Service Advertisement - MARKETS - IndustriesDrugs & Devices: Guidant in EUEurope probes Boston-Guidant deal; Inamed’s outperforming wrinkle filler; polls shows Americans like techy medicine.March 3, 2006The European Commission said Friday it has started its antitrust investigations into Boston Scientific’s $27-billion acquisition bid for heart device maker Guidant.

In January, Boston Scientific triumphed in a fierce bidding war for Guidant, trumping competitor Johnson & Johnson’s buyout price with an $80-per-share offer (see Guidant Picks Boston for $27B).

The commission will not be treating the case as a simplified merger procedure with a relatively straightforward path to clearance, according to the European wire service AFX News.

The news service said the commission set a March 30 deadline on the case.

But if competition concerns arise, the commission holds the option to launch an in-depth probe that could last up to four months.

To help avoid regulatory issues, Boston Scientific made a deal with Abbott Laboratories calling for Abbott to acquire Guidant’s vascular inter...

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