Deal of the Week: Elsevier/Via Oncology

Deal of the Week: Elsevier/Via Oncology

Deal makers took a break last week, after a long trudge through the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference the week before. Deal volume was light in the week of Janaury 17, 2018, but at least 70 transactions have been recorded this month. Here’s an unusual deal from the eHealth sector we picked. Elsevier, a subsidiary of RELX plc (NYSE: RELX), announced its acquisition of Via Oncology, a privately held, former subsidiary of UPMC, based in Pittsburgh. Elsevier is a global provider of information solutions for science, health and technology professionals. Via Oncology provides decision support tools for cancer. Specifically, its Via Pathways product helps cancer centers demonstrate the... Read More »
Allscripts Adds Practice Fusion

Allscripts Adds Practice Fusion

Allscripts Healthcare Solutions (NASDAQ: MDRX) is back in buying mode. The healthcare technology company announced two deals back in August 2017, picking off McKesson’s (NYSE: MCK) hospital and health IT portfolio for $185 million, and then NantHealth’s (NASDAQ: NH) electronic health record (EHR) assets for an undisclosed price. This time, the target is Practice Fusion, a Silicon Valley startup focused on creating affordable certified cloud-based EHR systems for small, independent physician practices. As small as that market may seem, the company now supports 30,000 ambulatory practices and 5 million patient visits per month. The deal is a strategic one for Allscripts,... Read More »
Allscripts Adds Practice Fusion

eHealth Deals Dipped in Q3:2017

Merger and acquisition activity in the eHealth sector decreased in the third quarter, down 5% compared with the previous quarter, to 42 deals. However, the quarter’s results were 45% higher than the same period a year earlier. The third quarter’s total represents a 26% share of the 164 deals announced in the previous 12 months. Information technology underpins every aspect of the healthcare industry, as it does in virtually every other market. The repeal-and-replace effort has had little impact on investor interest in this sector, as technology stocks continue to dominate the equity markets. Source: HealthCareMandA.com, October 2017 Of the 42 deals announced in Q3:17, only seven disclosed... Read More »
Deal of the Week: Elsevier/Via Oncology

Clinical Trial Software Companies Are Hot

The digital health sector is benefitting big-time from the explosion in drug discovery transactions in 2017. Investors are now targeting eHealth companies specializing in clinical trial software. The statistics behind the surge in mergers and acquisitions in the drug discovery market are impressive. Through the first week in November, 43 deals targeting contract research organizations (CROs) have been announced, up nearly 70% from this time in 2016, and a 760% increase from this time in 2015. Biotechnology deals are speeding up as well, up nearly 30% from the past two years. Pharmaceutical companies are a main driver of demand in these sectors. Rather than fund in-house R&D, Big Pharma... Read More »
Allscripts Adds Practice Fusion

Azalea Health Adds to its EMR Offerings

Digital health deals are on track to surpass 2016’s record 157 transactions. Through mid-October, 139 deals have been announced in this sector, targeting companies specializing in revenue cycle management, telemedicine and electronic medical records (EMRs). Just four companies have made more than one acquisition this year, indicating there are more buyers getting into digital health than leaving it. Among the four serial acquirers this year are Allscripts (NASDAQ: MDRX), Azalea Health, NextGen Healthcare Information (NASDAQ: QSII) and contract research organization PRA Health Sciences (NASDAQ: PRAH). Azalea Health is the only the privately held digital health company to announce... Read More »
Private Equity Feeds RCM Growth

Private Equity Feeds RCM Growth

Revenue cycle management companies remain a strong investment opportunity for financial buyers. As of Mid-September 2017, 52% of RCM targets were acquired by private equity firms or other PE-backed eHeath companies.  One Georgia-based RCM firm continues to thrive following an investment from Bain Capital. In June 2016, Bain Capital acquired Navicure Inc. for an undisclosed price. Navicure provides cloud-based claims management and patient payment solutions for physician practices and hospitals. Its revenue cycle management platform served approximately 90,000 U.S. providers at the time of the deal. Fast forward to September 2017, Navicure now serves more than 100,000 providers. On... Read More »