Illumina to get EU order on Thursday to divest Grail, source says

U.S. genetic testing company Illumina will on Thursday get an order from EU antitrust regulators to sell cancer test maker Grail, a year after the $7.1 billion deal was blocked, a person with direct knowledge of the matter said on Tuesday. The European Commission vetoed the deal, concerned that Illumina would have an incentive to cut off Grail's rivals from accessing its technology to develop blood-based early cancer detection tests to compete with Grail. The EU competition enforcer slapped a record 432 million-euro ($458 million) fine on Illumina in July for closing the deal before securing the regulatory green light.