French VC firm Truffle Capital has raised €250 million ($278m) for its new BioMedTech fund. The capital will be used to create 12 new medtech companies.

Device fundraising during the fourth quarter totaled $2.6 billion, making it the strongest quarter of the year. Q4 M&A activity reached $3.9 billion, higher than Q3's $3.4 billion, but still one of the lowest quarters of the year. Both fourth quarter diagnostics financings and M&As hit an all-year low of $622 million, and $2.8 million, respectively.

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 October 2017.

The medtech M&A deal count soared in October with a total of 30 deals announced and closed in the month. It was an especially busy month for the orthopedics sector, with a number of high profile deals inked.