Derived from Strategic Transactions, Informa’s premium source for tracking life-sciences deals, the bimonthly Pacts In Medtech column pulls up notable technology alliances, R&D partnerships and commercial collaborations. In this edition, we highlight industry pacts that were sealed in September and October 2017.

By acquiring Axela Inc, liquid biopsy specialist Angle PLC will now be able to pair the Canadian firm's gene expression measurement technology with its Parsortix circulating tumor cell harvesting system. Angle will finance this transaction with the proceeds it expects to raise from a proposed £12.2m share placement.

Highlights from the Q3 2008 review of device and diagnostics dealmaking: Led by late-stage rounds, financing for medical device firms--at just over $1bn--showed a slight improvement over the last quarter. IPOs and follow-ons were noticeably absent in Q3, reminiscent of a time in 2003 when the IPO window closed. Not even one of the 13 device M&A transactions reached the billion-dollar mark, but the largest deal, GE Healthcare's buy of Vital Signs for $990mm, came close. In vitro diagnostics/research financings doubled to $643mm led by Illumina's $343mm FOPO. M&A activity in this industry was scant with a mere three transactions. However, Nanogen's reverse merger with Elitech Group--worth $99mm-beat the median M&A deal price ($60mm) over the past five years. Interestingly many in vitro diagnostics players turned to alliances with tech transfer entities in hopes of filling their pipelines.