Guardant Health presented new clinical data at this week’s American Association for Cancer Research conference and outlined its growth plans as cancer testing volumes recover after the pandemic.

New York-based health IT company Prognos recently secured $20.5m in Series C financing to build out its artificial intelligence capabilities, which it has applied to a giant diagnostic laboratory registry containing data from some 180 million patients. Given the shift to value-based health care and the high costs of treating chronic diseases, insurers might use information from this registry to predict the likelihood of disease and reach out to members to help head off illnesses. Pharma clients, in turn, can use the data to target physicians to help them deliver effective treatments.

Medtech companies raised $2.4 billion in the fourth quarter, the second-strongest of the year; Q4 device M&A deals totaled $9 billion in value, led by Allergan's $2.9 billion buy of Acelity's LifeCell division. Diagnostics financings finished out the year at $721 million, an increase over the previous quarter and 2016's second-highest quarter, but diagnostics M&A activity was the lowest of the year at $87 million, with only two completed acquisitions.

Derived from Strategic Transactions, Informa’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 in December 2016.