Spain's Grifols announced this morning that it has won U.S. antitrust approval for its $4 billion purchase of Talecris Biotherapeutics, after agreeing to sell some assets.

The takeover of Talecris, based in Research Triangle Park, is expected to close today. The deal was first announced a year ago.

Talecris employs more than 2,000 people in the Triangle, and Grifols is expected to cut costs as its integrates the two companies. Any job cuts will likely hit harder at Talecris' RTP headquarters, and not at its massive drug-manufacturing facility in Clayton.

Grifols and Talecris make medicine from blood plasma, used to treat a wide range of diseases, including hemophilia and various immune system deficiencies. Buying Talecris gives Grifols, which has a large share of the market in Europe, a stronger foothold in North America.

Talecris Biotherapeutics' $4 billion takeover by Grifols SA of Spain has won tentative approval from U.S. antitrust regulators, after the companies agreed to sell some assets.

Company officials have been in negotiations for months with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, which wants to ensure the deal doesn't lead to higher prices for specialized drugs made from blood plasma.

Under a consent agreement with the FTC announced this morning, the companies agreed to sell Talecris' plant in Melville, N.Y., a division that makes a plasma-derived drug to treat hemophilia and two plasma collection centers.

The deal, first announced in June, creates a new corporate parent for Talecris, North Carolina's largest biotechnology company. Based in Research Triangle Park, Talecris employs more than 2,200 people in the Triangle, mostly at a massive drug factory in Clayton.

Talecris Biotherapeutics, which is awaiting word from U.S. antitrust regulators on its $4 billion takeover by a Spanish company, reported stronger quarterly results.

Revenue, mostly sales of drugs made from blood plasma that treat autoimmune diseases and other ailments, rose to $406.7 million, up 7 percent from a year ago.

Net income excluding some charges was $58.5 million, up 29 percent.

Talecris is the Triangle's largest biotechnology company and employs more than 2,200 people locally, mostly at a Clayton drug factory and its Research Triangle Park headquarters.

The head of Spain's Grifols is optimistic his company's $4 billion takeover of Talecris Biotherapeutics will win approval from U.S. antitrust regulators.

Grifols and Talecris, which is based in Research Triangle Park, both make medicines from blood plasma. The Federal Trade Commission is reviewing the proposed union to make sure it doesn't lead to higher prices for such drugs. The FTC blocked an earlier Talecris takeover by an Australian company because of antitrust concerns.

“I have in my bag $4 billion sitting and waiting to be invested,” CEO Victor Grifols said at an event in Madrid, Bloomberg News reported. “I don’t know when we’ll receive the green light from the FTC. I’m sure we’ll get it, but it’s a very long process. As soon as we get approval we are going to invest it.”

Grifols and Talecris have extended the deadline for their deal to June 30, which would be more than a year after it was announced.

The fact that Grifols' CEO is discussing it suggests an FTC decision could be coming soon.

The Spanish company seeking to buy Talecris Biotherapeutics for about $4 billion has again extended the deadline for the deal, as officials continue to negotiate with U.S. antitrust regulators.

Grifols and Talecris announced this morning they pushed back the pending date to June 30, more than a year after the proposed merger was announced.

The companies, which initially expected to complete the deal by the end of 2010, previously postponed the date to March 6. Shareholders with Talecris, which is based in Research Triangle Park, approved the deal on Feb. 14.

Both companies produce medicines made from blood plasma. The Federal Trade Commission is reviewing the union to make sure it doesn't lead to higher prices for such drugs.

Grifols, the Spanish company seeking to buy Talecris Biotherapeutics for $4 billion, has extended a deadline for the deal to March 6.

The company reported in a regulatory filing today that it agreed to the date with U.S. antitrust regulators. The Federal Trade Commission is reviewing the deal to make sure it doesn't hurt consumers or lead to higher prices for medicines made from blood plasma.

In a previous filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Grifols wrote that it expected the FTC to rule this month, and wanted to close the deal by March 6.

Talecris has scheduled a meeting on Feb. 14 for its shareholders to vote on the proposed deal, which was announced in June.

Talecris Biotherapeutics has set a date next month for shareholders to vote on its proposed $4 billion takeover by Grifols of Spain, although the deal still could run into roadblocks with U.S. antitrust regulators.

Investors will meet on Jan. 21 at the Research Triangle Park Marriott, near the company's RTP headquarters, Talecris reported in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

In the filing, Talecris and Grifols also disclose that they have agreed not to close the deal until after Feb. 17, unless the Federal Trade Commission approves the deal earlier. The companies "continue to cooperate with the FTC in its investigation of the proposed Talecris-Grifols merger."

Grifols of Spain announced today that it's lined up the more than $4 billion in financing it needs for its proposed takeover of Talecris Biotherapeutics.

The deal would give Grifols ownership of North Carolina's largest biotechnology company and one of the Triangle's largest pharmaceutical employers. The Spanish company said it signed loan agreements, signaling that it expects the deal to go through.

But the acquisition, announced in June, still requires approval from U.S. antitrust authorities and Wall Street analysts are increasingly worried the deal could be rejected.

Most shareholders of Talecris Biotherapeutics will get a slightly sweeter deal under revised terms of the proposed $4 billion takeover by Grifols of Spain.

The companies altered the terms to settle a lawsuit by Talecris investors, according to a Securities and Exchange Commission filing. Talecris investors, including its more than 2,000 local workers, now will receive $19 in cash and 0.6485 of a Grifols share for each Talecris share they own.

Talecris board members and Cerberus Partners, the investment firm that owns 49 percent of Talecris, still will get the original terms, $19 in cash and 0.641 of a Grifols share.

The difference isn't much, less than 10 cents based on Grifols' closing price today. But it does mean that investors, who still need to vote on the deal, will have more incentive to approve it.

Shares of Talecris Biotherapeutics fell today after a report that federal antitrust regulators may seek to block the company's $4 billion acquisition by Grifols of Spain.

The Deal Pipeline reported that the Federal Trade Commission is preparing a lawsuit to stop the union, citing an unnamed antitrust lawyer in Washington. The FTC, which blocked a previous buyout of Talecris, is again worried that a takeover would hurt competition in the market for medicines made from blood plasma, and lead to higher prices for patients, according to the report.

The Deal Pipeline is an information service that tracks acquisitions for investors and other clients.

An FTC spokesman declined to comment. Both companies said they had no knowledge of FTC plans to oppose the transaction.