Digital Health Deals Are Blooming

Digital Health Deals Are Blooming

The eHealth sector is on a roll, and the momentum seems to be gaining every month. Deal volume in the first quarter of 2018, at 45 announced transactions, was 50% higher than in the fourth quarter of 2017. With only four deals fewer than the same quarter in 2017, the 8% dip in deal volume hardly counts as a sell-off. Deal values, which aren’t a solid measure of growth in mergers and acquisitions, were still impressive. In Q1:18, digital health transactions totalled approximately $3.9 billion, up 96% compared with the same quarter a year earlier. That puts the eHealth sector ahead of the Pharmaceuticals sector, which has endured at least 18 months of slow M&A activity. Pharma’s dollar... Read More »

Q1:17 eHealth Deals Rise 57%

Merger and acquisition activity in the eHealth sector surged in the first quarter, as investors stuck with healthcare information technology in the face of the Republicans’ effort to upend the Affordable Care Act. Deal volume rose 57% to 47 transactions compared with the previous quarter, and was up 24% compared with the first quarter in 2016. This recent quarter accounted for 28% of the 166 deals announced in the previous 12 months. Source: HealthCareMandA.com, April 2017 Of the 47 deals announced in Q1:17, only six disclosed a price, for a total of $1.9 billion. This quarter’s spending represents a 586% increase compared with the previous quarter, but a 57% decrease from the same quarter... Read More »

Digital Health Off to a Strong Start in 2017

The eHealth sector has started off the New Year at an even faster pace than last year. In January 2017, 21 eHealth deals have been announced, a 91% increase from January 2016’s eHealth deals. The sector ended 2016 with 155 transactions Of course, there was the previously mentioned takeover of CoverMyMeds LLC by McKesson Corporation (NYSE: MCK), there have been a few other notable mentions. On January 4, 2017, Castlight Health Inc. (NYSE: CSLT) spent $135 million of its shares to acquire Jiff Inc. The company provides a HIPAA-compliant social network and digital health platform, which serves as a central hub for well-being and other benefit programs, with a single point of access for... Read More »

Francisco Partners Exits CoverMyMeds for $1.1 Billion

Francisco Partners and McKesson Corp. (NYSE: MCK) are swapping companies again. Back in October 2013, the technology-focused private equity firm acquired McKesson Automation, which offers integrated pharmacy automation products for hospitals and health systems, thus streamlining the delivery of medications. Financial terms were not disclosed. In January 2017, McKesson acquired CoverMyMeds, LLC from Francisco Partners for $1.1 billion, and another $300 million if the company met future financial targets. To make things even cozier, McKesson and CoverMyMeds have partnered together to work with pharmacies since 2010. CoverMyMeds provides electronic prior authorization... Read More »