McKesson Corp., a major national player in pharmaceuticals distribution and health information technology, cleared a regulatory hurdle this week on its path to purchasing a medical supplies and equipment distributor.

Federal regulators allowed early termination of the waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976 for San Francisco-based McKesson's acquisition of PSS World Medical, Jacksonville, Fla., according to a McKesson news release. Plans for the $2.1 billion deal, which includes the assumption of outstanding debt, were announced in October; McKesson executives said at the time that the acquisition will help the company expand quickly in the profitable and growing niche of distributing medical products to doctors and other non-acute-care providers.

The acquisition is expected to close in the first calendar quarter of 2013, according to McKesson.