Abbott Laboratories is reportedly edging toward a deal to buy Exact Sciences, the Madison-based cancer diagnostics company behind Cologuard, in what would be one of Abbott’s largest acquisitions in nearly a decade. People familiar with the discussions say negotiations are active and an announcement could come within days, although the terms are still being negotiated and the transaction is not final.
Deal Details And Reporting
Reports that surfaced Wednesday traced the potential takeover talks to Bloomberg and quickly ricocheted through national business outlets, while Crain's Chicago Business highlighted the story for local readers. Crain’s noted that the deal remains in deliberation and could be delayed, reworked, or fall apart entirely.
What Exact Sciences Brings
Exact Sciences is best known for Cologuard, an at-home stool DNA test for colorectal cancer. The company says Cologuard has been used about 20 million times since its FDA approval in 2014. Exact Sciences also runs a growing research-and-development operation and has a pipeline of blood-based and molecular diagnostics that would expand Abbott’s oncology testing portfolio.
Market Reaction
Wall Street weighed in quickly. Shares of Exact Sciences jumped sharply on the takeover chatter, while Abbott’s stock dipped, reflecting investor jitters about the potential price tag and questions about strategic fit. Reuters reported that the companies did not immediately respond to requests for comment and cautioned that the ongoing deliberations could still alter the outcome.
Why Abbott Might Be Buying
Deal watchers and analysts say a takeover would deepen Abbott’s push into faster-growing cancer diagnostics, handing the company a widely used colorectal screening brand along with a broader slate of tests that fit neatly into primary-care and lab distribution channels. Bloomberg’s reporting indicated that a move for Exact Sciences would likely rank among Abbott’s largest acquisitions and could stand as one of the biggest health-care deals of the year. Bloomberg
Regulatory Hurdles
A transaction of this size would have to pass through federal antitrust review, including premerger notifications and waiting periods under U.S. law. Regulators would be expected to examine how a combination might affect competition in diagnostics and related markets. The Federal Trade Commission outlines the filing requirements and timing rules that parties must follow before closing such a deal.
What Comes Next
For now, the situation remains in classic deal-making territory: advisers are working through valuation, structure, and timing. If Abbott and Exact Sciences reach agreement, they will then need to submit the required regulatory filings and clear any antitrust review before a closing can occur. Until a formal announcement is made, the reports are best viewed as signs of advanced negotiations rather than a completed transaction. Both companies had not immediately provided public comment when the news first broke, according to Reuters.
