M&A
DOJ, FTC, HHS Examining Private Equity Control Over Health Care Industry
“Private equity firms and other corporate owners are increasingly involved in health care system transactions, and, at times, those transactions may lead to a maximizing…
Sanofi Announces $2.9 Billion Acquisition of BioPharma Diabetes Drug Maker
Paris-based Sanofi S.A. announced a definitive agreement to pay $2.9 billion for diabetes drug manufacturer Provention Bio, Inc., a U.S.-based, biopharmaceutical company focused on intercepting…
Pfizer Completes $5.4 Billion Acquisition of Sickle Cell Disease Drug Innovator
Pfizer Inc. has acquired Global Blood Therapeutics, Inc. (GBT), a biopharmaceutical company whose leading product inhibits harmful medical conditions that lead to the relatively…
FTC, Rhode Island AG Move to Block New England Healthcare Merger
The Federal Trade Commission and the Rhode Island Attorney General are using both administrative measures and litigation to stop the proposed merger of Lifespan Corp.…
Frontier/Spirit Merger Would Stiffen Competition Against Big Four Fliers
Spirit Airlines, Inc. and Frontier Airlines, Inc., today (Feb. 7) announced a merger they say will save consumers $1 billion a year while flying aboard…
Verizon Selling Yahoo and AOL for $5 Billion
Unable to compete with Google and Facebook, Verizon is selling Verizon Media — made up of Yahoo, AOL, advertising technology, and other media platform assets…
Telecommunications: DOJ Allows AT&T to Sell Off Caribbean Operations
The Department of Justice is requiring Liberty Latin America Ltd., its subsidiary, Liberty Communications of Puerto Rico LLC, and AT&T Inc. to divest certain fiber-based…
Private Equity: Platforms Seek Quick Merger Approval in the U.K.
Two popular crowdfunding platforms, Crowdcube and Seedrs, have asked the U.K. competition authority to fast track their merger designed to create “the world’s largest private…
TikTok Gets Reprieve from Trump Ban, Nears Deal with Oracle, Walmart
Now that TikTok has more time to keep its U.S. operation alive – thanks to a federal court order enjoining the Trump administration’s effort to…
DOJ Requires Divestiture of Hawaiian Brewer Before Anheuser Can Buy Craft Brew
The Justice Department Antitrust Division will approve a major acquisition in the beer industry, but only if one of the merging company’s divests its holdings…
House Bill Would Allow College Athletes to Capitalize on Their Fame
A group of U.S. House Democrats and Republicans have introduced the “Student Athlete Level Playing Field Act” which would add momentum to the current movement…
Nvidia’s Acquiring UK Chip Designer for $40 Billion
In a move that Reuters said will “reshape the global semiconductor landscape,” Nvidia Corp. is purchasing Arm of the U.K. from SoftBank Group Corp. of…
French and American Luxury Brands Litigate Delayed Merger
Dispute in Delaware, Tussle in Brussels LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton of France used business challenges presented by the novel coronavirus to avoid a multi-billion-dollar…
Apple Fires Back at Epic Games in Fortnite Fight
Responding to Epic Games’ bold suit against Apple (and separately against Google) — alleging anticompetitive operation of the Apple Store — the computer and mobile…
Claim That LinkedIn Has a ‘People Analytics’ Monopoly Fails
hiQ Labs Inc., a new employment tech firm, sued professional network giant LinkedIn for abuse of its market power. Specifically, the startup-alleged LinkedIn blocked its…
Casino Sues Scientific Games, Bally’s for Antitrust Law Violations, Charge 100% Card-Shuffler Monopoly
The Tonkawa Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma, a casino operator, alleges in a proposed class action that Scientific Games Corp., Bally Technologies, Inc., and Bally…
FTC Approves Elanco’s $7.6B Acquisition of Bayer Animal Healthcare, Sets Divestiture Conditions
Pending approval, two of the world’s largest animal healthcare manufacturers will consummate a multibillion dollar acquisition in August 2020, subject to FTC and other, international…
California AG Opposes Healthcare System’s Pandemic-Prompted Proposal to Delay Settlement
In response to Sutter Health’s motion for a continuance, California Attorney General Xavier Becerra requested that a San Francisco state court move forward with a…
U.S. House of Representatives Extends Antitrust Penalty Leniency Program for Cooperating Defendants
On June 25, 2020, the House passed a bill to permanently extend a recently expired provision within the Antitrust Criminal Penalty Enhancement and Reform Act…
Californians Will Vote on Whether to Expand the State’s Consumer Privacy Act
In November, California residents will vote on a proposal to augment the California’s Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), which took effect in January 2020. The Secretary…