FTC demands could mean months-long delay for Roche-Spark deal

Roche's $4.8 billion takeout of gene therapy specialist Spark Therapeutics looked like a typical biopharma transaction — that is, until the Federal Trade Commission got involved. Now it appears the two parties may have to wait months to complete the deal as antitrust regulators demand extensive paperwork to ensure the Swiss big pharma company won't have too much market power.