This may be the year that mid-sized medtech companies step up their acquisition pace to better compete against larger rivals. To be sure, these players won’t rival Medtronic, Covidien, or the other pre-megamerger partners in size or scope, but they could be in a great position to scoop up smaller companies and technologies in a bid to widen or extend their own pipelines.

This may be the year that mid-sized medtech companies step up their acquisition pace to better compete against larger rivals. To be sure, these players won’t rival Medtronic, Covidien, or the other pre-megamerger partners in size or scope, but they could be in a great position to scoop up smaller companies and technologies in a bid to widen or extend their own pipelines.

This may be the year that mid-sized medtech companies step up their acquisition pace to better compete against larger rivals. To be sure, these players won’t rival Medtronic, Covidien, or the other pre-megamerger partners in size or scope, but they could be in a great position to scoop up smaller companies and technologies in a bid to widen or extend their own pipelines.

The imaging giant's $1.2 billion acquisition of intravascular assessment specialist Volcano deepens Philips' play in hospital cath labs and, Philips' CEO says in an interview, provides a combination of technology and know-how to create new catheter-based therapies for high-growth disease markets.