UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM 8-K

 

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the

Securities Exchange Act of 1934

 

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):  October 8, 2010

 

Abbott Laboratories

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

100 Abbott Park Road

Abbott Park, Illinois 60064-6400

 (Address of principal executive offices)(Zip Code)

 

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (847) 937-6100

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

 

o            Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

 

o            Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

 

o            Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

 

o            Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

 

 

 

Item 8.01              Other Events

 

On October 8, 2010, Abbott Laboratories (“Abbott”) announced a voluntary withdrawal of its weight loss product sibutramine in the United States, Canada, and Australia. Abbott is having ongoing discussions with regulatory authorities in countries where sibutramine is marketed and anticipates concluding those discussions in the coming days. Earlier this year, Abbott suspended the marketing of Abbott medicines containing sibutramine in all European Union member countries, as well as Iceland and Norway.  Global sales of sibutramine in the first nine months of 2010 were approximately $80 million, with $20 million of these sales occurring in the U.S.

 

This product withdrawal will not impact Abbott’s previously issued ongoing earnings-per-share guidance for the third quarter or full-year 2010.  The company will incur a one-time specified item in the third quarter 2010 related to this action, which will be quantified when third quarter results are reported.

 

—Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 —

A Caution Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

 

Some statements in this Form 8-K may be forward-looking statements for purposes of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Abbott cautions that these forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Economic, competitive, governmental, technological and other factors that may affect Abbott’s operations are discussed in Item 1A, “Risk Factors,” to our Annual Report on Securities and Exchange Commission Form 10-K for the year ended Dec. 31, 2009, in Item 1A, “Risk Factors,” to our quarterly report on Securities and Exchange Commission Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2010, and are incorporated by reference. Abbott undertakes no obligation to release publicly any revisions to forward-looking statements as a result of subsequent events or developments.

 

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SIGNATURE

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

 

	ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Date:  October 8, 2010	By:	/s/ Thomas C. Freyman
		Thomas C. Freyman
		Executive Vice President, Finance and Chief Financial Officer

 

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