WASHINGTON, D.C.—MDS Inc. and Danaher Corp. have eachreceived a second request for information from the U.S. Federal TradeCommission (FTC) regarding the sale of MDS Analytical Technologies in early September,the companies announced today.
MDS announced on Sept. 2 the sale of its mass spectrometrybusiness, MDS Analytical Technologies, to Danaher, an instrument manufacturerbased in Washington, D.C., for $650 million in cash. U.S. officials are requestinginformation on a global market segment that MDS and Danaher estimate generatesless than $50 million in annual revenues for all sellers combined.
The FTC request extends the 30-day waiting period under theHart Scott Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976. The companies said theystill expect the sale to be completed by the end of the first quarter of 2010.
MDS also recently completed the divestiture of its Central Labsoperations to Czura Thornton, a private investment group based in Jersey,Channel Islands. It is still seeking a buyer for its MDS Pharma Servicesbusiness in order to focus on MDS Nordion, which provides medical isotopes formolecular and diagnostic imaging, radiotherapeutics and sterilizationtechnologies.
