Baxter buys dialysis gear maker for $65M

Edwards Lifesciences sold a line of kidney filtration products to Baxter Int;l. in a deal worth $65M. Baxter, of Deerfield will pay $56M cash upfront for the product line. Edwards can also get $9M more in the next 2 years depending on product sale. The devices are called hemofiltration products, continuous renal replacemnt therapy. They work 24 hours a day and are intended to aid patients with kidney ailments by gradually filtering waste & fluid from kidneys. The deal's expected to close in the 3rd-Q & Edwards employees will join Baxter as part of the deal. Irvine, CA-based Edwards said the sale doesn't change its 2009 profit outlook. In morning trading, Edwards shares fell 31