Abbott wants to ditch Alere

WALTHAM, Mass. - Abbott Laboratories has sued Alere in an effort to terminate its buyout of the company, according to news reports. Chicago-based Abbott has filed a complaint in the Delaware Court of Chancery, asking a judge to terminate the deal on the grounds that Alere is no longer the company Abbott agreed to buy 10 months ago. Alere's problems include CMS revoking the billing privileges of its DME supply business, Arriva Medical, amid allegations that it submitted claims for 211 dead patients over the past five years. Previously, Alere sued Abbott in the same court, asking a judge to enforce the deal. That lawsuit is ongoing.