In spite of increasing price pressure, the $9 billion global spine market is projected to see low-single-digit growth in the next few years. Driving growth are the pure-play spine companies targeting high-growth segments such as minimally invasive surgery, expandable interbody cases, cervical discs, and deformity.

CEO-designate and CFO for the Mallinckrodt specialty pharma spin-out from Covidien discuss the strategy for differentiating its products in a competitive analgesic space. Despite a goal of becoming a leading specialty pharma, the new company does not plan to divest its imaging or active pharmaceutical ingredient businesses.

Talent, innovation, world-class research institutions, established supply chains, and a lower cost of doing business – what else do you need to launch and grow a device company? Well, capital, for one. Players in the Midwest are working in a variety of ways to draw entrepreneurs and venture money to the region, and their efforts are reaping positive results.

Two of September’s top biopharma alliances were deals for cancer candidates. Valeant paid over $2 billion for dermatology company Medicis. Biopharma financing totaled $608 million, and device funding dipped to $151 million.