In April, Boston Scientific Corp. won the government's final stamp of approval for its $27 billion takeover of Guidant Corp. The acquisition cleared the way for the Natick-based company to become the biggest heart-device maker in the world.

The approval also capped a four-month takeover saga in which Boston Scientific beat Johnson & Johnson in a high-profile bidding war for Guidant, topping the healthcare giant's initial deal to buy the Indiana company with a series of offers that culminated in an $80-per-share bid.