The U.S. Federal Trade Commission plans to file a lawsuit seeking to block the proposed $282 million merger of Thoratec Corp. and HeartWare International Inc.
Saying it believes the merger “would substantially reduce competition in the U.S. market for left ventricular devices,” the commission alleged that Thoratec already enjoys a monopoly on the sale of LVADs in the U.S. and would only increase its hegemony if the merger is consummated.