B. Braun, a Rhoen-Klinikum shareholder, had won antitrust approval to raise its stake in the German hospital operator. The clearance was for B. Braun's proposed 25% stake increase. This was according to Germany's Federal Cartel Office late last Friday.

B. Braun is a medical supplies manufacturer based in Melsungen, Germany. The company had requested a regulatory approval last month to increase its holdings in the German hospital operator. This would put more weight on B. Braun's holdings as it opposed a takeover bid for Rhoen from rival healthcare group Fresenius. However, the two firms had outflanked B.Braun after both had agreed on the sale of most of Rhoen's hospitals to Fresenius, reported Reuters.

A representative for B. Braun refused to say on Friday whether the company would still push through with the planned stake increase in Rhoen. This was even after Rhoen had agreed to divest its hospitals accounting for around two thirds of its revenues, said a report from Reuters.