BRIEFLY / HEALTH-CARE PRODUCTS

* Abbott Laboratories agreed to acquire BASF’s drug unit for $6.9 billion in a deal designed to boost its drug research business and give it access to a number of experimental medicines. The Knoll pharmaceutical unit, which employs 10,700 people, is expected to post $2.1 billion in sales this year, mainly because of its Meridia obesity treatment drug and its thyroid drug, Synthroid. The company also has other new projects, including the D2E7 arthritis drug, that make it a prize catch. North Chicago, Ill.-based Abbott fell $1.31 to close at $46.81, while BASF’s American depositary receipts rose 13 cents to close at $41.19, both on the NYSE.