HEALTH

Ivax Corp., Hafslund Nycomed Call Off Merger: The two companies said they called off their planned merger because of shareholder opposition. Hafslund Nycomed nixed the deal because it did not believe it could get approval of the required two-thirds of shareholders. Instead of merging, the two companies have agreed to licensing and collaboration deals that they expect will bring many of the expected benefits of a merger. The merger, announced on Oct. 18, would have combined the world’s largest generic drug company, Miami-based Ivax, with Norway’s Hafslund, the biggest maker of chemical dyes that help doctors read X-rays.