The dealmaking column is a survey of recent transactions, including strategic alliances, mergers & acquisitions, and financings, in the life sciences industries. Deals are listed by the following industry sectors: in vitro diagnostics, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and research/analytical instrumentation and reagents. All transactions are excerpted from Elsevier's Strategic Transactions.

Finding growth opportunities in an era of constrained spending and health care reform is not an easy task, but an increasing number of companies operating in the diagnostics space are taking aim at one underserved area they believe will be a big winner in the years ahead: Alzheimer’s disease. This is a field still in its infancy and the risk of failure remains high. But as research progresses, it’s becoming clear that advances in AD diagnostics could play a major role in reducing that risk.

Biopharma, medical device, and in vitro diagnostics start-ups brought in a total of $780 million in Q3 2010, a 29% jump from the previous quarter and a 50% increase from Q3 2009. A total of eight start-up acquisitions closed in Q3, quite a jump from the first two quarters of 2010. The third quarter saw 14 biopharma alliances covering a wide range of therapeutic categories, the most popular indication being cancer.

A roundup of recent medtech strategic alliances, mergers & acquisitions and financings.