Johnson & Johnson plans to buy Abiomed for $380 per share – about $16.6bn in total – plus up to $35 per share in potential commercial and clinical milestone-contingent payments. Abiomed is the clear leader in percutaneous circulatory support technology, but would benefit from J&J's reach and resources while complementing J&J's Biosense Webster electrophysiology business.

Integra will pay up to $400m for ACell to expand its wound management and soft-tissue repair product line. The deal is part of a larger restructuring plan that includes selling its orthopedics business.

New York biotech is partnering with researchers at Columbia, Kansas State and Southern Research to address the pandemic.

The disruptive medtech M&A of recent years was not matched in the past year for volume, but there were isolated outbreaks of major activity, as shown in our company rankings.