Scientific tool manufacturer MDS Inc. will have to spin off some assets in order to complete its merger with another equipment manufacturer, Danaher Corporation, the Federal Trade Commission announced today.
MDS will divest assets related to laser microdissection devices, which are used to separate cells from larger tissue samples for specialized testing, according to a statement from the agency.
“The Commission’s order will protect competition in the specialized and highly concentrated market for laser microdissection devices, leading to lower costs and increased innovation,” said the FTC’s Richard Feinstein, who heads the agency’s competition bureau.
Danaher and MDS are two of only four companies that make the devices in North America, the FTC said.
