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 Windhover's Strategic Transactions database, providing comprehensive transaction coverage from 1991 to the present.

Brief summaries of recent product and company developments in the device industry, including: poor acceptance dooms Exubera inhaled insulin; QLT bets big on ForSight plug; hot markets, lukewarm IPOs; Arteriocyte Medical launches; Synthes buys N Spine.

Many large and growing diseases, such as diabetes, cause vessel damage calling for replacement vascular grafts. The European market for prosthetic vascular grafts is today a $343 million industry and growing, according to "The European Prosthetic Vascular Grafts Market," a report just issued y Medtech Insight.

Because of the heterogeneity of heart failure patients and causes, new drugs to treat heart failure haven't been a huge area of research or business development. Few heart failure drugs are likely to be blockbusters, and there are very few deals around truly novel targets. Biotech start-ups build on known approaches and innovate incrementally, in this market.