Highlights from the Q4 2009 review of start-up dealmaking: Fundraising in the biopharma, medical device, and in vitro diagnostics industries totaled $976 million, an 88% increase from the previous quarter, and a 77% jump from Q4 2008's $551 million. Of the total fundraising, 66% or $640 million went to the biopharma industry. Compared with Q3 2009, device fundraising rose by 85% (from $113 million to $209 million) and diagnostics companies raised 72% more (from $74 million to $127 million). The fourth quarter of 2009 saw eight acquisitions, all of them in the biopharma industry. Big Pharmas were busy signing deals with start-ups--Sanofi-Aventis inked three while Roche and Novartis AG each signed two.

A preview of the emerging health care companies profiled in the current issue of Start-Up. This month's profile group, "Inflammation: A Hot Space Gets Complicated," features profiles of CellAct Pharma, Kineta and Lycera. Plus these Start-Ups Across Health Care: BioLeap, Integrated Diagnostics, Nightingale-EOS, SBIO, Spirus Medical and Varix Medical.

A preview of the emerging health care companies profiled in the current issue of Start-Up. This month's profile group, "Inflammation: A Hot Space Gets Complicated," features profiles of CellAct Pharma, Kineta and Lycera. Plus these Start-Ups Across Health Care: BioLeap, Integrated Diagnostics, Nightingale-EOS, SBIO, Spirus Medical and Varix Medical.