Medical device maker Stryker has approached its rival Boston Scientific with a takeover bid, a move that would create a combined company with a market value of more than $110 billion, according to The Wall Street Journal.
It remains unclear whether Boston Scientific is receptive to the proposal by Stryker, but if a deal proceeds, it would be one of the largest medical device transactions on record.
The deal would create a company with $21.5 billion in annual sales and establish a large pipeline of medical devices, including knee and hip replacements, heart valves, artery-opening stents and endoscopes. The transaction would merge Stryker's expertise in orthopedics, neurotechnology and spinal procedures with Boston Scientific's knowledge of the cardiovascular and implantable device market.
News of the bid surfaces during a period of heightened merger and acquisition activity in the medical device sector as leaders feel the need to offer hospitals a one-stop shopping experience.
Representatives from both Stryker and Boston Scientific declined to comment on the proposed takeover, according to the WSJ.