The biopharma sector is often accused of a being a slow-moving engine, but a look back over the last 20 years reveals that a lot has changed. In Vivo explores the history of high-impact M&A transactions in the industry between 1999 and 2019. 

Industry experts expect a continued uptick in deals valued between $2bn-$10bn this year as buyers look to add critical mass in areas like oncology, rare disease and cell and gene therapy. Divestitures to free up capital and narrow focus should continue too.

It has been a bumpy ride for some of the (still modest) number of European biotechs listed on Nasdaq, for various reasons. Yet most expect the direct-to-Nasdaq trend to continue. Europe’s public markets simply cannot compete.

The US Nasdaq exchange has become the only option for ambitious UK and European biotechs.

The idea that public corporations have obligations that extend beyond the fiduciary responsibility to shareholders will be the dominant measure of responsible business behavior in the coming decade. Uncertainty about the extent of these commitments – commonly referenced as the environmental, social and governance (ESG) agenda – has produced equally variable responses from companies in the health care business.

Point-of-care/near-patient testing has been “two years away from major breakthrough” for at least two decades, but fast access to data via automation and IT means that progress might change at last. How the tests are paid for remains an issue. The future of POC was the theme of an investor discussion at the first DxPx conference, held during the Medica 2019 event in Germany.