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The Â鶹´«Ã½ Trade Commission today announced the following actions

Commission action regarding applications for approval: Following a public comment period on each, the Commission has ruled on applications from the following entities:

• The FTC has approved the application of Baxter International, Inc., of Deerfield, Illinois, to divest its Autoplex assets to NABI, of Boca Raton, Florida. Autoplex is a plasma product used for the treatment of Factor VIII inhibitors in hemophiliacs. Divestiture of these assets was required under a consent order settling FTC charges that Baxter’s acquisition of Immuno International AG, which markets the only other such product on the market, would violate federal antitrust laws by creating a monopoly. (The case also challenged the acquisition as to a fibran sealant product, which is used to stem bleeding during surgery. An application regarding the required divestiture in that market is pending at the Commission.) The divestiture requirements in the consent order are intended to restore competition in both markets. (See Dec. 19, 1996 news release for more details regarding the consent order; Docket No. C-3726; Commission vote to approve the divestiture was 4-0, with Commissioner Roscoe B. Starek, III, recused.) Staff contact is Elizabeth Piotrowski, 202-326-2623.

• The FTC has approved the application of Novartis AG, the entity created by the merger of Ciba Geigy Limited and Sandoz Ltd., to divest the Sandoz flea control business to Central Garden and Pet Company and Centic Acquisition Corp, of Lafayette, California. Novartis is based in Basel, Switzerland. Divestiture of these assets is required by a March 1997 consent order settling charges that the Ciba-Sandoz merger could result in higher prices for consumers and reduced innovation in new products in the flea control field. (The case also challenged the acquisition as to gene therapy products and corn herbicides, and requires licensing or divestiture in those markets as well. The divestiture requirement as to corn herbicides was completed in December.) The divestiture and licensing requirements in the consent order are designed to restore competition. (See Dec. 17, 1996 news release for more details regarding this merger; Docket No. C-3725; Commission vote to approve the divestiture was 5-0.) Staff contact is Daniel Ducore, 202- 326-2526.

Copies of the documents referenced above are available from the FTC’s web site at http://www.ftc.gov and also from the FTC’s Public Reference Branch, Room 130, 6th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20580; 202-326-2222; TTY for the hearing impaired 1-866-653-4261. To find out the latest news as it is announced, call the FTC NewsPhone recording at 202-326-2710.