Device companies finished 2013 strong, raising $1.2 billion in Q4, the highest quarter total of the year. CVS Caremark’s $2.1 billion buy of Apria’s infusion therapy business was the largest M&A of the year, and late-stage venture rounds dominated the $423 million total in diagnostics funding.

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 December 2013-January 2014.

Egalet secured Shionogi as its first major partner in a deal focused on abuse-deterring forms of hydrocodone; to complement its specialty pharmacy portfolio, CVS acquired the infusion therapy business Coram for $2.1 billion. A $729 million debt offering by Incyte made up nearly one-third of the $2.5 billion in biopharma financing; and sources of public fundraising have been increasing over the past few months in the device industry, which raised $532 million.