On The Block

Datascope Corp. (Nasdaq: DSCP) will examine additional strategic alternatives after the maker of medical devices sold its patient-monitoring business to Mindray Medical International Ltd. in May. In the course of doing that deal, Datascope fielded numerous buyout offers for the entire company, and it has authorized financial adviser Lehman Brothers to contact the unnamed interested parties. The board will evaluate proposals to determine whether a transaction is in the best interests of shareholders.

Liquidation World Inc. could put itself on the block. The Brantford, Ontario-based company specializes in liquidating consumer merchandise through 106 stores in Canada and the United States. The company’s newly formed special committee, which hired Capital West Partners as financial adviser, has not established a list of strategic alternatives. For the second quarter ended April 6, Liquidation World reported a 4.2 percent decrease in same-store sales.

Consumer electronics and appliances retailer REX Stores Corp. (NYSE: RSC) plans to consider strategic alternatives for its retail segment, which has 111 stores in 34 states. The Dayton, Ohio-based company also holds interests in four ethanol entities. It announced it was mulling options for one of its businesses at the same time that it released its sales figures for the first quarter ended April 30. Total sales fell to $47.1 million from $48.9 million a year ago. Same-store sales slipped 0.3 percent.

BioSante Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Nasdaq: BPAX) asked Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. to serve as an adviser for its ongoing review of strategic alternatives. BioSante is a biopharmaceutical concern that has entered Phase III trials for a drug designed to treat female sexual dysfunction. BioSante said the time is right to conduct a review of business options because of its “dramatic progress” in the last year. For the first quarter, the Lincolnshire, Ill.-based company posted losses that doubled to $3.6 million from a year before. BioSante attributed this “planned increase” to its ongoing LibiGel studies. Despite the widened losses, revenue improved to $63 million from $50.6 million.