The telecommunication and network specialist, Ciena Corporation (CIEN) announced that it has received regulatory approval for the proposed acquisition of substantially all of Nortel Network Corp.'s (NT) optical and Ethernet division.   The company has been granted termination of the waiting period under the Hart-Scott Rodino Act in the United States. The Canadian Competition Bureau has also approved the takeover.  Ciena plans to acquire substantially all of the optical networking and carrier Ethernet assets of its rival Nortel Networks’ Metro Ethernet Networks (MEN) division, for a total of $521 million ($390 million in cash and 10 million in shares worth $142 million based on the Oct. 15 market price).  However, the deal also requires the approval of the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware and the Ontario Superior Court of Justice. Nortel had filed for bankruptcy in January.  The deal is ...

Recently, Merck (MRK) and Schering-Plough (SGP) received approval from the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the Swiss Competition Commission and the Canadian Competition Bureau for their proposed merger. However, the transaction has yet to receive approval from other regulators, including China and Mexico. The deal was approved by the European Union antitrust regulators last week. Shareholders of both the companies have already approved the deal in August. Merck expects to close the proposed merger by year end. The FTC approval has come with the condition that both companies will sell some assets. As a result, Schering-Plough has agreed to sell its rolapitant drug, meant to be used for the treatment for nausea and vomiting in chemotherapy patients to Opko Health Inc. In addition, Merck agreed to sell its interest in Merial Ltd, an animal health joint venture, to its French partner, Sanofi-Aventis ...