Bindley Western Industries Inc

Cardinal Health Inc., the No. 2 U.S. drug distributor, agreed to buy rival Bindley Western Industries Inc. for $1.6 billion in stock. The acquisition of Indianapolis-based Bindley, a second-tier player in pharmaceutical distributing, ushers Cardinal into a new business--supplying hospitals with radioactive imaging agents for surgical diagnoses, a $1-billion market, the company said. Two years ago, the Federal Trade Commission shot down Cardinal's planned $2.

Cardinal Health Inc., the No. 2 U.S. drug distributor, agreed to buy rival Bindley Western Industries Inc. for $1.6 billion in stock. The acquisition of Indianapolis-based Bindley, a second-tier player in pharmaceutical distributing, ushers Cardinal into a new business--supplying hospitals with radioactive imaging agents for surgical diagnoses, a $1-billion market, the company said. Two years ago, the Federal Trade Commission shot down Cardinal's planned $2.

Drug wholesaler Bindley Western Industries Inc. pleaded guilty to one conspiracy charge and agreed to pay a $20-million fine to end a federal fraud investigation. The U.S. attorney's office in Las Vegas approved the settlement, which stemmed from a grand jury investigation of sales from 1995 to 1997 at the company's Nevada and California operations.

Drug wholesaler Bindley Western Industries Inc. pleaded guilty to one conspiracy charge and agreed to pay a $20-million fine to end a federal fraud investigation. The U.S. attorney's office in Las Vegas approved the settlement, which stemmed from a grand jury investigation of sales from 1995 to 1997 at the company's Nevada and California operations.

Privately held 3-C Medical Inc., which distributes dialysis products in Southern California and Mexico, was acquired Monday for an undisclosed price by a major Indianapolis pharmaceutical and medical products distributor. Bindley Western Industries Inc. said it went through a subsidiary, Priority Healthcare Corp., to purchase the stock of 3-C's sole owner, Robert McConnell, and will continue to operate the company in Orange County as Priority-3-C Medical.

AmeriSource Health Corp.'s $4.1-billion purchase of rival Bergen Brunswig Corp., to form the largest U.S. drug wholesaler, was cleared Friday by U.S. antitrust enforcers, who said the combination probably will lead to lower prices. The combination of No. 3 Bergen Brunswig, based in Orange, with No. 4 AmeriSource, based in Valley Forge, Pa., will be called AmeriSource-Bergen Corp. The Federal Trade Commission voted 5-0 not to challenge the acquisition.

AmeriSource Health Corp.'s $4.1-billion purchase of rival Bergen Brunswig Corp. to form the largest U.S. drug wholesaler was cleared Friday by U.S. antitrust enforcers, who said the combination probably will lead to lower prices. The combination of No. 3 Bergen Brunswig, based in Orange, with No. 4 AmeriSource, based in Valley Forge, Pa., will be called AmeriSource-Bergen Corp. The Federal Trade Commission voted 5-0 not to challenge the acquisition.

AmeriSource Health Corp. acquired rival Bergen Brunswig Corp. in Orange in a $3.2-billion stock deal creating the nation's largest drug wholesaler. Shareholders of both companies approved the transaction Wednesday, less than a week after federal antitrust regulators decided not to oppose it.

Continuing a wave of health-care consolidations, AmeriSource Health Corp. said Monday it has agreed to acquire Bergen Brunswig Corp. in a $2.3-billion stock deal that would create the nation's largest drug distribution company with $35 billion in annual revenue. The proposed merger is the latest in a series of takeovers of California companies by out-of-state rivals.

One of Orange County's largest companies, Bergen Brunswig Corp., said Monday it agreed to be acquired by rival AmeriSource Health Corp. in a $2.3-billion stock deal that would create the nation's largest drug distribution company. The proposed deal, the latest in a health care consolidation wave, would create a company with $35 billion in annual revenue. But Orange County also would lose one of its five Fortune 500 companies. The combined company, to be called AmeriSource-Bergen Inc.

Privately held 3-C Medical Inc., which distributes dialysis products in Southern California and Mexico, was acquired Monday for an undisclosed price by a major Indianapolis pharmaceutical and medical products distributor. Bindley Western Industries Inc. said it went through a subsidiary, Priority Healthcare Corp., to purchase the stock of 3-C's sole owner, Robert McConnell, and will continue to operate the company in Orange County as Priority-3-C Medical.