Seven new medicines, including GW Pharma's orphan cannabidiol product, Epidyolex, are due for an opinion from the European Medicines Agency this week on whether they should be recommended for pan-EU approval.

This week's roundup includes appointments by Merck KGaA, C4X Discovery Holdings, Paragon Bioservices and board appointments by Scholar Rock, Myovant Sciences and Gamida Cell.

European biotech companies that have lead products turned down by big pharma are now considering the benefits of taking drugs through late-stage development themselves; more funding options, such as concluding an IPO in the U.S. or Europe, is driving some of this change.

Derived from Strategic Transactions, Informa’s premium source for tracking life sciences deal activity, the Dealmaking column is a survey of recent health care transactions listed by relevant industry segment – In Vitro Diagnostics, Medical Devices, and Pharmaceuticals – and then categorized by type – Acquisition, Alliance, or Financing. This month’s column covers deals announced August-September 2014.