Boston Scientific Corp. announced Wednesday it was acquiring Guidant Corp. for about $27.2 billion in cash and stock, ending a nearly two-month bidding war against rival Johnson & Johnson for the heart device maker.
Natick, Mass.-based Boston Scientific and J & J; have been competing to buy Guidant since early December, hoping for a stake in the fast-growing $10.3 billion cardiac rhythm management market. The battle between the two companies raged despite months of recalls and safety warnings by Guidant about defects in its pacemakers and defibrillators.
