A Medical Device Daily

Getinge (Stockholm, Sweden) reported that it will again extend its previously disclosed $53 per share cash tender offer for all of the outstanding shares of Datascope. The new extension will expire on midnight, EDT, Jan. 29, unless extended.

The deal, which is valued at $865 million, was first reported in September (Medical Device Daily, Sept. 17, 2008).

As of the close of business on Jan. 21, about 14,959,485 shares of Datascope common stock, representing roughly 93% of the total outstanding shares of Datascope common stock, had been validly tendered and not withdrawn in the offer.

Omniflight Helicopters (Addison, Texas), a national provider of air medical services, reported that it has entered into a definitive agreement with Air Methods (Englewood, California) to sell its Rescue Air 1 operations in the Atlanta area.

Following the closing, which is expected to occur on Feb. 1, Omniflight will continue to operate three of its existing helicopter bases under the Rescue Air 1 name in the Atlanta region pursuant to a traditional base arrangement with Air Methods. Omniflight's base in Savannah, Georgia. will be unaffected by this transaction.

Upon the consummation of the transaction, the current operating bases of Omniflight and Air Methods in the Atlanta region will be consolidated into six bases, to be located in Covington, Gainesville, Griffin, Kennesaw, Newnan and a sixth base serving the I-75 and I-575 corridors.

All six bases will utilize the services of Air Methods medical personnel, although efforts will be made to identify Omniflight medical personnel who might fit into the combined operation.

Three bases will operate under the Emory Flight name currently utilized by Air Methods, and the related pilots and mechanics will be employed by Air Methods. The other three bases will operate under the Rescue Air 1 name, currently utilized by Omniflight, with aviation services being provided by Omniflight pursuant to a traditional base arrangement with Air Methods. All six bases will operate Eurocopter AS350 single-engine aircraft.

Omniflight is a provider of air medical services throughout the U.S. The company operates 100 aircraft nationally and operates from 72 bases in 18 states, with a strong presence across the Southwest, Midwest and Southeast regions as well as certain Mountain State areas.

In other dealmaking news, Acacia Research (Newport Beach, California) reported that its Hospital Systems subsidiary has entered into a license agreement with Merge Healthcare (Milwaukee) covering a portfolio of patents that apply to medical picture archiving and communication system (PACS) technology. This agreement resolves the parties' dispute that was pending in the District Court for the Eastern District of Texas.