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Scintilla Goes Deep into Pain Management

Scintilla Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a subsidiary of Sorrento Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ: SRNE), is spending up to $270 million to expand its pain management pipeline. On August 8, Scintilla announced its purchase of SCILEX Pharmaceuticals, Inc. for an upfront payment of $70 million. Scilex’s lead product candidate, ZTildo™ (lidocaine patch 1.8%) is being developed for the treatment of intractable cancer pain. In July 2015, SCILEX filed a new drug application (NDA) for ZTildo™, and is planning an NDA re-submission for a potential FDA action date in mid-2017. SCILEX’ product pipeline includes line extensions of ZTildo™ as well as other novel patch technologies in development. The patch... Read More »

Patient Experience Data Draws Big Money

EQT, a Swedish private equity firm with approximately €30 billion in raised capital, announced it was taking Press Ganey Holdings (NYSE: PGND) private with a purchase price of $2.35 billion, or $40.50 a share. Press Ganey made its mark by offering patient experience solutions to measure and analyze data collected directly from patients, including patient experience insights measured through several electronic modes; and caregiver engagement solutions comprising physician, nurse and, employee alignment and engagement solutions. It also provides clinical and quality solutions, such as Nursing Quality Indicators, a program that collects data on a set of nursing-sensitive process, structure,... Read More »

First Half of 2016 Shows Strength in M&A

Ever since the rally in health care mergers and acquisitions began in 2014, we’ve been waiting for the inevitable slam-on-the-brakes quarter. That rally was sparked by the advent of newly insured families and individuals entering the healthcare market, beginning on January 1, 2014. Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, passed in 2010, health care M&A topped 1,000 transactions that year and has never looked back. Isn’t it about time for the party to end? Not according to our data for the first six months of 2016, compared with the same period in 2014 and 2015. (But if you read our monthly M&A roundup on page 18, you may have second thoughts.) In the first half of 2016, deal volume... Read More »

Don’t Let IT Blow Up a Good Deal

Our Editor, Lisa Phillips, sits down with Owen Grohman, Director of Services at Worldwide Supply, to talk about healthcare information technology, and how it can make or break an acquisition.   Read More »

MEDNAX Makes 10

MEDNAX (NYSE:MD) hit the big 10 in August 2016, with its tenth acquisition of the year. The serial acquirer picked up privately-held Associated Anesthesiologists of Reno, P.C., the largest anesthesia practice in northern Nevada, offering anesthesia care across a broad range of subspecialties, including orthopedic, obstetric, pediatric and cardiac and critical care. MEDNAX continues to capitalize on anesthesiology practices’ need to become a part of a larger organization in order to meet the data and technology capabilities that hospitals are asking of them, and this purchase marks its sixth anesthesiology acquisition of the year. Outside of anesthesiology, MEDNAX acquired privately-held... Read More »

Home Health’s Hot Summer Streak

With 38 deals so far in 2016, home health care continues to be a hot topic. Three deals were announced in the first week of August alone, with Dallas-based Epic Health Services being the acquirer for two of these deals. Epic Health Services, a portfolio company of Webster Capital, provides pediatric skilled nursing, therapy, developmental, enteral and respiratory services. On August 1st, the company announced the acquisition of Pediatric Special Care Inc., the only pediatric nursing and home medical equipment company in Michigan. It offers private-duty nursing services and a full range of high-tech medical equipment. Three days later, Epic Health acquired privately-held Spring View Home... Read More »

Cantel Medical Adds Dental to Its Healthcare Disposables Segment

With five acquisitions in the infection prevention/disposables market since 2014, Cantel Medical (NYSE: CMN) is on a roll. The company, which provides infection prevention and control product and services, just announced its second medical device deal this year, buying Accutron Inc., a privately-held manufacturer of nitrous oxide delivery systems and single-use nasal masks. The $52.5 million acquisition will expand the dental portfolio of Crosstex International, Cantel’s Healthcare Disposables segment, adding a branded, single-use disposable product line. The acquisition marks Cantel’s entry into the dental equipment market. In February 2016, Cantel acquired the Sterility... Read More »

Pfizer Buys into Gene Therapy

Pfizer’s (NYSE: PFE) interest in the field of gene therapy just got real. The pharma giant just spent $193 million to pick up Bamboo Therapeutics Inc., a privately-held biotechnology company that focuses on therapies for rare and devastating central nervous system (CNS) and neuromuscular diseases. In the first quarter of 2016, Pfizer acquired 22% of Bamboo’s fully diluted equity for $43 million. On August 2, the company announced that it had acquired the remaining equity for an upfront payment of $150 million. Bamboo Therapeutics is also eligible to receive milestone payments of up to $495 million. Since 2014, Pfizer has established gene therapy-based collaborations, research and... Read More »