EnteroMedics appoints president and CEO; former Medtronic chair elected to Halyard Health Board of Directors; T2 Biosystems names chief commercial officer; AngioDynamics CFO transition; new Merit Medical Systems CFO tapped.

Despite contraction in the number of funds and VC firms investing in life sciences, 2013 was a strong year for private investing in medtech, with private investors putting $2.54 million into 129 medical device deals, according to Informa’s Strategic Transactions. Looking at where investors placed their money revealed some emerging trends.

Spine company LDR Holdings Corp. helped signal a turnaround in the spine industry with a successful IPO in October, netting $80 million. Privately, venture capitalists are reporting greater interest in their companies from Wall Street bankers, but should LDR’s success be seen as a strong signal for devices?

Derived from Strategic Transactions, Elsevier Business Intelligence’s premium source for tracking life sciences deal activity, the Dealmaking column is a survey of recent health care transactions listed by relevant industry segment – In Vitro Diagnostics, Medical Devices, and Pharmaceuticals – and then categorized by type – Acquisition, Alliance, or Financing. This month’s column covers deals announced September through October 2013.