Announced Actions for June 28, 2002

The FTC has approved the extension of a time period in the matter concerning Baxter International, Inc. Under the order in Docket No. C-3726, which concerned Baxter's acquisition of Immuno International AG, Haemacure Corporation (the acquirer of the Immunex Fibrin Sealant Assets approved by the Commission), was required to obtain all necessary Food and Drug Administration approvals to manufacture fibrin sealant for sale in the United States by July 28, 2000. This deadline was previously extended by the Commission until July 28, 2001, and again until July 28, 2002. The Commission's approval in the current matter - which was requested by the trustee overseeing the divestiture process - extends by another 12 months the time that Haemacure has to obtain all necessary FDA approvals to manufacture this product, until July 28, 2003.

The Commission vote to approve the time period extension was 5-0. (FTC Docket No. C-3726; staff contact is Elizabeth A. Piotrowski, 202-326-2623; see press releases dated December 19, 1996; May 9 and July 18, 2000; and April 30 and July 13, 2001.)

Commission dismissal of individual defendant:

The Commission has approved the dismissal of a defendant named in its case against The Woodway Group. The complaint against the corporate and individual defendants in this matter was filed in the Southern District of Texas in Houston and announced on April 15, 2002, as part of the FTC's Operation Dialing for Deception law enforcement sweep. In that complaint, the FTC named Antoine J. Peissel, Jr. and Thomas A. Brandt as individual Woodway Group defendants. Through this action, the Commission's charges against Brandt will be dismissed, as this is a business name or alias used by Peissel in conducting business as The Woodway Group. The Commission vote to dismiss Brandt as a defendant was 5-0. (FTC File No. X020052; staff contact is W. David Griggs, FTC Southwest Region, 214-979-9378; see press release dated April 15, 2002.)

Copies of the documents mentioned in this release are available from the FTC's Web site at http://www.ftc.gov and also from the FTC's Consumer Response Center, Room 130, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20580. Call toll-free: 1-877-FTC-HELP.