Start-ups raised $1.8 billion in Q1 2016. Biopharma companies penned 33 alliances; 14 acquisitions were signed (11 in the biopharma industry).

Norwegian start-up CardiNor is developing a new cardiovascular biomarker, and is hopeful of attracting cash in a country where investor traditions are undergoing some changes. The financial pressures caused by falling oil prices have brought renewed attention to life science companies.

Derived from Strategic Transactions, Informa’s premium source for tracking life sciences deal activity, the Medical Device Deals Update column is a survey of recent medtech M&A, alliance, and financing activity. This month’s column covers deals announced January-February 2016.

Early-stage Norwegian cardiovascular biomarker developer CardiNor has signed a deal with UK-based sheep monoclonal antibody company Bioventix, which will supply antibodies for use in CardiNor’s project to develop a biomarker to better target patients that should be implanted with Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators.