On the heels of completing its $12.4 billion CareFusion (San Diego) acquisition, Becton, Dickinson (BD; Franklin Lakes, New Jersey) is reportedly planning to sell its respiratory devices unit in an effort to shed unwanted assets. According to a Bloomberg report citing "people with knowledge of the matter" BD has been planning the asset sale and one of the sources said the respiratory business could go for up to $2 billion.

The unit in question consists of ventilators, breathing tubes and oxygen masks. The unidentified sources said the process of disposing of assets is at an early stage, according to the report. Kristen Cardillo, a BD spokeswoman quoted in the report, acknowledged that the company is conducting a strategic review of all of its businesses but has not made any decisions.