During Q4, biopharma merger and acquisition value reached $35.7bn and drew in $62.1bn in potential deal value from alliances. Device company M&A values reached $19.2bn, while in vitro diagnostic firms and research tools players completed M&A activity that totaled $4.8bn.

In this month's issue of Start-Up, we profile Ariste Medical, BioDirection, Cardialen and Homology Medicines.

Cardialen's hybrid implantable pacemaker/defibrillator for atrial fibrillation monitors the heart beat by beat. At the first sign of arrhythmia it delivers a low-level electrical pulse to convert the patient's irregularity back to a normal heart rhythm.

Cardialen's hybrid implantable pacemaker/defibrillator for atrial fibrillation monitors the heart beat by beat. At the first sign of arrhythmia it delivers a low-level electrical pulse to convert the patient's irregularity back to a normal heart rhythm.