Staar Surgical Co. reported on Oct. 24 that it had adjourned its special meeting of stockholders scheduled in connection with its proposed $1.5 billion sale to Alcon AG in the face of objections from some of its major shareholders and at least three proxy firms.

In the largest med-tech M&A deal in nearly three years, Hologic Inc. agreed to be acquired by funds led by Blackstone and TPG in a transaction valued at $18.3 billion. After five months of rumored negotiations, the outlined deal provides Hologic shareholders with $76 per share in cash plus up to $3 per share in contingent value rights (CVR) to be paid on achievement of revenue goals for the breast health business over the next two years.

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) reported Aug. 6 that it will try to block Edwards Lifesciences Corp.’s proposed acquisition of Jenavalve because Edwards’ acquisition of both Jenavalve Technology Inc. and JC Medical would eliminate competition in the TAVR space for aortic regurgitation.

Bio-Techne Corp. plans to sell its Exosome Diagnostics Inc. business to Mdxhealth SA for $15 million plus royalty payments, a steep cut from the $250 million the company paid to acquire Exodx in 2018. Mdxhealth estimates the unit will generate $20 million in revenue in 2026.

Alcon AG agreed to acquire Staar Surgical Co. in a $1.5 billion cash transaction that would add Staar’s Evo implantable Collamer lenses (ICL) to treat myopia to the vision giant’s portfolio. Alcon will pay $28 per share, a 59% premium on Staar’s 90-day volume-weighted average price and a 51% premium on the Aug. 4 closing price of its shares (Nasdaq: STAA).

Three months earlier than an expected update on a deal, Becton, Dickinson and Co. reported its biosciences and diagnostic solutions business will combine with Waters Corp. in a transaction valued at $17.5 billion. The resulting enterprise will operate under the Waters name and use its trading symbol (NYSE:WAT). Waters CEO Udit Batra will head the combined company.

Zimmer Biomet Holdings Inc. reported it is buying orthopedic robotics maker Monogram Technologies Inc. for an upfront payment of $4.04 per share in cash, corresponding to an equity value of approximately $177 million and an enterprise value of about $168 million.

In a bid to boost its multiomics holdings, Illumina Inc. reported an agreement to buy proteomics technology company Somalogic Inc. from Standard Biotools Inc. for $350 million in cash, plus up to $75 million in near-term performance-based milestones and performance-based royalties.

The 23andme Holding Co.’s saga came full circle with founder Anne Wojcicki regaining control of the bankrupt genetic testing company in a bidding battle against Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc.