Abbott announced that it has received merger control clearance from the European Commission for its acquisition of Advanced Medical Optics (AMO) through a cash tender offer for the outstanding shares of common stock of AMO. The European Commission approved the transaction without conditions.

This satisfies the condition to the tender offer related to European Commission regulatory approval and is the last regulatory approval that is a condition to the tender offer. As previously announced, the tender offer is scheduled to expire at midnight Eastern time on Tuesday, February 24, 2009, unless the tender offer is extended. Consummation of the tender offer remains subject to other customary conditions, including the tender of a majority of the outstanding shares of AMO's common stock on a fully diluted basis.

As previously announced, Abbott commenced the tender offer on January 27, 2009, for all of the outstanding shares of AMO common stock for $22 per share in cash. The tender offer is being made pursuant to an Offer to Purchase, dated January 27, 2009, and in connection with the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated January 11, 2009, entered into by and among Abbott, Rainforest Acquisition Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Abbott, and AMO, which Abbott and AMO announced on January 12, 2009.