Abbott prepared to close its $23 billion acquisition of Exact Sciences after securing regulatory clearances. The deal brings Cologuard, Oncotype DX, Oncodetect and multi‑cancer early detection assets into Abbott’s diagnostics portfolio and is expected to add roughly $3 billion in incremental sales in 2026. Abbott framed the purchase as a strategic move to deepen its diagnostics leadership and expand into cancer screening and molecular testing. Management disclosed financing steps including a $20 billion notes offering and flagged modest near‑term EPS dilution. The transaction accelerates consolidation in the diagnostics market and signals a bigger push by device and med‑tech companies into molecular and population health tools.