Q3:15 Health Care M&A, By Sector

Health care M&A in the third quarter was quite robust, with 385 transations reported across 13 sectors. That’s a new record for any third quarter, by the way. We’ll have the full break-out in The Health Care M&A Report, Third Quarter 2015, due to be published by the end of this month. In the meantime, here’s how the sectors fared in Q3:15. Read More »

Medtronic Acquires Lazarus Effect

You have to admit, naming a company Lazarus Effect sets up some big expectations. Medtronic plc (NYSE: MDT) had that in mind, no doubt, when it paid $100 million for medical device maker Lazarus Effect in late September. The target’s lead product is the Lazarus Cover™, which complements Medtronic’s Solitaire™ stent retriever platform. The technology is designed to address clinical needs with a novel nitinol “mesh cover” that folds over a stent retriever device during clot retrieval and wraps the stent with the clot inside. Medtronic will report the Lazarus Effect product line as part of its Neurovascular division within the Restorative Therapies Group. Read More »

Teva Acquires Respiratory Care Software Platform

Teva Pharmaceutical (NYSE: TEVA) has had a busy year, making four divestitures and four acquisitions. Last week it tipped the balance in favor of acquisitions, with the purchase of privately held Gecko Health Solutions in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Gecko’s CareTRx™ platform is a novel cloud-based solution designed to simplify chronic respiratory disease management, connecting patients and caregivers through remote monitoring and real-time adherence tools. Teva hopes to apply the CareTRx technology to its pipeline and portfolio of respiratory products. Read More »

McKesson Buys Irish Drug Distribution Business

McKesson Corporation (NYSE: MCK) got back into acquisition mode last week with its purchase of the pharmaceutical distribution division of UDG Healthcare plc for €408 million (US$463 million) in cash. Under terms of the agreement, McKesson will acquire United Drug Sangers in Northern Ireland and United Drug in the Republic of Ireland, as well as TCP, a leading home healthcare provider in the Republic of Ireland and MASTA, UDG’s travel healthcare business based in the United Kingdom. The deal boosts McKesson’s European drug distribution business, but not as much as its October 2013 deal for 75% of the German distributor Celesio AG, totaling $8.2 billion. In July, Celesio announced its UK... Read More »

Dental Deal Hits the Spotlight

It’s been a while since a dental deal made news. Last week’s largest deal was DENTSPLY International’s (NASDAQ: XRAY) $13.3 billion all-stock merger with Sirona Dental Systems Inc. (NASDAQ: SIRO). DENTSPLY designs, develops, manufactures and markets various consumable dental products for the professional dental market, while Sirona has a more technological spin on the market. It develops, manufactures and markets dental equipment worldwide through four segments, Dental CAD/CAM Systems; Imaging Systems; Treatment Centers; and Instruments. The merger will create the world’s largest maker of professional dental products and technologies, with net revenue of approximately $3.8 billion and... Read More »

Valeant Pharmaceuticals Keeps Buying

Valeant Pharmaceuticals International (NYSE: VRX) couldn’t keep its checkbook closed last week. On September 1, Valeant obtained the exclusive license to develop and commercialize brodalumab, a psoriasis drug candidate, from AstraZeneca (NYSE: AZN) for $100 million. Valeant will hold the exclusive rights to develop and commercialize brodalumab globally, except in Japan and certain other Asian countries where rights are held by Kyowa Hakko Kirin Co., Ltd. under a prior arrangement with Amgen Inc. (NASDAQ: AMGN), the originator of brodalumab. A day later, the company announced its acquisition of Synergetics USA, Inc. (NASDAQ: SURG), a medical device company specializing in surgical... Read More »