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 February through March 2014.

Biopharma start-ups raised $299 million and just over half were Series A rounds. Device companies brought in $134 million, while two diagnostics firms raised $10 million total. Ophthalmology was the most popular theracat for biopharma alliances. Just one acquisition involving a start-up took place.

Biopharma and medical device start-ups brought in a total of $216 million in Q1 2011. Absent were any financings involving in vitro diagnostics companies. Only four acquisitions involving start-ups were completed - one in biopharma and three in the device industry. Cancer was the most popular therapeutic category among biopharma start-up alliance this quarter.

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.