The FINANCIAL -- Biosense Webster, Inc., one of the worldwide leaders in the diagnosis and treatment of cardiac arrhythmias, announced on October 15 that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cleared for marketing the CARTO 3 System, the most advanced three-dimensional imaging technology for use by electrophysiologists in treating cardiac arrhythmias, commonly referred to as irregular heart rhythms.

The FINANCIAL -- Ortho Clinical Diagnostics on Ocotber 15 announced U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of a diagnostic assay for the detection of antibodies to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) types 1+2 (Anti-HIV 1+2) for use on the VITROS 5600 Integrated and VITROS 3600 Immunodiagnostic Systems. 

The FINANCIAL -- Pfizer Inc (NYSE: PFE) on October 16 announced that it has combined operations with Wyeth following the closing of the acquisition yesterday.

The FINANCIAL -- Schering-Plough (NYSE: SGP) on October 15 announced that data on boceprevir, an investigational hepatitis C virus (HCV) protease inhibitor, will be reported in an oral presentation at the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) Annual Meeting in Boston, Oct. 30-Nov. 3.

The FINANCIAL -- Pfizer Inc (NYSE:PFE) on October 14 announced that the U.S. Federal Trade Commission terminated the waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended, with respect to Pfizer’s pending acquisition of Wyeth. In addition, Pfizer has received approval from the Canadian Competition Bureau for the pending acquisition.