AllBusiness.com to merge with Bigvine

   *  Amount:         Undisclosed

   *  Terms:            n/a

   *  Premium:        n/a

   *  Industry:        E-commerce enablers

   *  Scorecard:      C

NEW YORK, Oct 17--NBC Internet said it will merge its AllBusiness.com unit with Bigvine to create a new business-to-business company to focus on the domestic consumer Internet market and move toward profitability sooner. Through the deal, NBCi's small business services and content unit will be combined with closely held online barter marketplace Bigvine to form a new company that is focused on the small business market. Financial terms were not disclosed.

 

 SonicWALL (SNWL) to acquire Phobos

   *  Amount:         $268 million

   *  Terms:            12.2 million shares/$50 million cash

   *  Premium:        n/a

   *  Industry:        Security

   *  Scorecard:      B

SUNNYVALE, Calif., Oct. 17--SonicWALL, a provider of Internet security solutions, announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Phobos Corporation, a privately-held Internet security infrastructure manufacturer based in Salt Lake City, Utah. The combination of SonicWALL's secure access products and value-added security services and Phobos' secure transaction products creates a powerful and comprehensive range of Internet security solutions. Under terms of the agreement, approximately 12.2 million shares and options of SonicWALL common stock and $50 million in cash will be exchanged for Phobos, valued at approximately $268 million.

 

 Bio Online acquires BioProtocol

   *  Amount:         Undisclosed

   *  Terms:            n/a

   *  Premium:        n/a

   *  Industry:        Content/Communities

   *  Scorecard:      C

BERKELEY, Oct. 17--Bio Online, which operates bio.com, an online portal for discovery research and development in the life sciences, announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire BioProtocol. Widely recognized for aggregating and publishing research laboratory protocols online, BioProtocol will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Bio Online. Terms of the deal were not announced.