As expected, U.S. private equity investor Carlyle has been given the nod to acquire the ortho clinical diagnostics unit of compatriot pharmaceutical producer Johnson & Johnson (J&J). The selling price of $4.15 billion was in line with analysts' estimates. Carlyle said it plans to close the deal by the middle of this year. The business, a small player in a market dominated by larger companies, manufactures blood-screening equipment and laboratory blood tests as well as tests capable of identifying blood types and screening for viruses such as HIV and hepatitis C. J&J announced at the beginning of 2013 that it was exploring strategic alternatives for the activities.