With no end in sight for the obesity epidemic, there is a vast and underserved market opportunity for manufacturers developing minimally invasive solutions for obesity that can fill the treatment gap between invasive bariatric surgery and conservative weight loss methods (diet, exercise, and drugs). Despite some high-profile setbacks in the last few years, the market for minimally invasive bariatric devices is gaining steam as several companies have recently launched obesity devices on the US market while others have completed clinical trials and are advancing toward US regulatory approval.

Recent executive-level hires and director appointments at venture capital firms and biopharma and medtech start-ups.

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 database, providing comprehensive transaction coverage from 1991 to the present.