Anthem Inc. is making another push to salvage its $48 billion merger with Cigna Corp. by asking a Delaware judge to extend an order blocking its would-be partner from pulling out of the deal.

Anthem wants Delaware Chancery Court Judge Travis Laster to extend a temporary ban on Cigna's exit for 60 days. The company hopes to work out a deal with federal prosecutors to drop their objections to the combination or to get the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn court rulings blocking it as anticompetitive.

Laster said during a hearing on Monday it's a "long shot" that Indianapolis-based Anthem can find a path to success after two federal courts found the merger was crippled by antitrust problems. He said he'd rule later on Anthem's request to get more time to rescue the combination.