Technical challenges and lackluster investor sentiment about the near-term commercial potential of cell and gene therapies in neurological disorders may be holding the field back.

Plus deals involving ProQR/ Thea, Aeglea/Immedica, Ayala/Biolight, Quince/EryDel, ImmunoBiochem/ImmunoGen and GSK/LimmaTech, as well as deals in brief.

The year might have started off slow for start-up fundraising ($398.7 million in Q1), but during the second quarter of 2013 life science companies rallied and earned a whopping $907.2 million. There were several reverse licensing arrangements as well as alliances involving large molecule-focused start-ups.

Derived from Strategic Transactions, Elsevier Business Intelligence’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.