Summary Box: Medco ramps up research efforts in $730M cash deal for United BioSource

Summary Box: Medco will acquire United BioSource

WHAT IS HAPPENING: Medco Health Solutions Inc. expanded its research capabilities Monday by agreeing to buy United BioSource Corp. for $730 million.

WHAT IT DOES: United BioSource helps companies design studies of drugs and medical devices, collect information and perform research on drugs and medical devices. Those studies are often required by regulators.

HOW IT FITS: In the past, Medco has run clinical trials of competing drugs with the goal of showing its clients that they can save money by picking a cheaper option, or skipping treatments that are not likely to work for particular patients.