Roche to buy GenMark for $1.8B to add multiplex testing

The Swiss company said the deal will give it access to a novel technology for testing a range of pathogens with one patient sample. William Blair analysts expect "potentially intense bidding wars" in the sector in coming months.

By Greg Slabodkin • March 15, 2021

Cardiac wearables, iRhythm, under a cloud as reimbursement questions linger

"If this [Novitas Solutions] rate is not adjusted, these companies don't make money and will be unlikely to provide the service," Baird analyst Mike Polark said.

By Ricky Zipp • March 15, 2021

Cardinal Health sells troubled Cordis unit to private equity firm for $1B

Hellman & Friedman's acquisition of the maker of interventional vascular technology follows Cardinal's 2015 buy of Cordis from Johnson & Johnson for $1.9 billion.

By Greg Slabodkin • March 12, 2021

Colfax to split in 2, creating over $1B orthopaedic player

The split will create a medtech company with a portfolio of orthopaedic devices forecast to generate sales of around $1.4 billion this year. The move is expected to facilitate more M&A.

By Nick Paul Taylor • March 8, 2021

Warchests, distressed assets drive medtech M&A flurry early in 2021

The industry is averaging more than one $100 million-plus takeover a week, as the influx of COVID-19 test revenues and pressures on companies reliant on surgical procedures create buying opportunities.

By Nick Paul Taylor • March 5, 2021

4 healthcare antitrust issues to watch

The FTC is looking to get more aggressive with anticompetitive tie-ups while states eye ways to beef up oversight. And if handed the reins of HHS, Xavier Becerra would likely put an antitrust lens to potential rules.

By Samantha Liss • March 4, 2021

Boston Scientific puts up $1B in cash to buy Lumenis surgical line from private equity

Wall Street analysts generally applauded the deal, which will see the medtech leader acquiring a portfolio of laser systems with potential to reach fast-growing markets like China.  

By Ricky Zipp • Updated March 4, 2021

Agilent strikes $550M Resolution buyout to muscle in on liquid biopsy space

Analysts at Evercore ISI called the takeover of the company that competes with ArcherDX, Foundation Medicine and Guardant "extremely compelling," calling it an attractive price to get into a fast-growing market.

By Nick Paul Taylor • March 3, 2021

Hillrom steps back from $375M BardyDx deal on reimbursement setback

The hospital products maker said a Medicare contractor's unexpected drop in payment rates for BardyDx's cardiac monitoring technology meant closing conditions for the transaction had not been satisfied.

By Susan Kelly • March 1, 2021

NuVasive buys Simplify Medical in play for $2.6B cervical spine market

The $150 million acquisition will add to the pandemic-related challenges for NuVasive in 2021, with investments to train surgeons and run clinical trials offsetting the low anticipated sales this year.

By Nick Paul Taylor • Feb. 26, 2021

Axonics adds incontinence device to portfolio in $200M Contura takeover

The targeted prescribers of Contura's urethral bulking agent are the same physicians who use Axonics' implantable sacral neuromodulation to treat urinary disorders. Analysts said the business logic seems sound.

By Nick Paul Taylor • Feb. 26, 2021

Exact Sciences-Guardant rivalry in colorectal testing market heats up

Exact bolstered its play for the residual disease and recurrence segment by striking a deal to buy Ashion Analytics, while Guardant disclosed availability of its liquid biopsy test for the same market.

By Nick Paul Taylor • Feb. 17, 2021

Qiagen shuns M&A that 'dilutes' its focus amid reports of Quidel merger

Qiagen’s CEO said his business development team is focused on bolt-on acquisitions that support and strengthen its operations in five target areas.

By Nick Paul Taylor • Feb. 10, 2021

Report of Quidel-Qiagen tie-up makes 'no sense,' Wall Street analysts say

Bloomberg reported the two companies are in early discussions. But while one analyst said it was a "plausible, though far-fetched" combination to create a global diagnostics firm, several questioned the wisdom of a union.

By Greg Slabodkin • Feb. 9, 2021

Zimmer takes electives hit in Q4, to spin off spine, dental units

"There's just no doubt that COVID, unfortunately, remains a challenge ... We're seeing the pandemic pressure and the surges continue and, frankly, worsen across pretty much all of our regions and markets," said CEO Bryan Hanson.

By Ricky Zipp • Feb. 5, 2021

PerkinElmer predicts sharp falloff in COVID-19 sales this year

In a relatively rare admission by a testing company, execs said they expect around 50% of 2021 coronavirus sales to come in the first quarter, beyond which vaccines are tipped to drive down demand.

By Nick Paul Taylor • Feb. 3, 2021

3 big predictions for digital health in 2021

As tech and data sharing become more pervasive, healthcare will likely pivot to being more predictive and telehealth will evolve, giving rise to new modalities of care. This will force companies to invest more in cybersecurity.

By Rebecca Pifer • Jan. 29, 2021

Philips beats Q4 expectations as COVID-19 boosts connected care, slows procedures

The Dutch conglomerate will continue to be active on the M&A front, CEO Frans van Houten told investors, after striking two deals in the space over the past month worth more than $3.4 billion.

By Nick Paul Taylor • Jan. 25, 2021

Boston Scientific bets on cardiac wearables with $925M Preventice buy

The deal is the latest in the fast-growing space, coming on the heels of Hillrom's $375 million BardyDx buy on Tuesday and Philips' $2.8 billion purchase of BioTelemetry last month.

By Ricky Zipp • Jan. 21, 2021

Haemonetics inks $510M Cardiva takeover to expand hospital business

The blood products medtech contends the deal will strengthen its portfolio in interventional cardiology and electrophysiology markets.

By Nick Paul Taylor • Jan. 21, 2021

Hillrom makes cardiac monitoring play with $375M BardyDx buy

The deal fits Hillrom's existing heart portfolio and efforts to connect devices to the internet, analysts said, but one raised concerns about Medicare reimbursement.

By Susan Kelly • Jan. 20, 2021

Thermo Fisher buys Mesa Biotech for $450M to bolster rapid point-of-care testing

The all-cash acquisition, which includes the potential for an additional $100 million upon completion of milestones, adds Mesa's PCR test platform for SARS-CoV-2, influenza A and B, RSV and strep A to Thermo's portfolio.

By Greg Slabodkin • Jan. 19, 2021

Philips to acquire Capsule Technologies in $635M deal, growing patient data capabilities

The move follows the medtech giant's $2.8 billion acquisition of cardiac monitoring company BioTelemetry in December, one of 2020's largest deals.

By Ricky Zipp • Jan. 19, 2021

Pandemic propels health systems to mull insurer acquisitions, partnerships: JPM21

Advocate Aurora CEO Jim Skogsbergh said "partnering for health plan capability is going to be critical to our success."

By Samantha Liss • Jan. 14, 2021

Steris inks $4.6B buy of Cantel Medical amid flurry of M&A

It's the biggest deal so far this year. Wall Street analysts said COVID-19 infection concerns should boost Cantel in the long term.

By Ricky Zipp • Jan. 13, 2021