Derived from Strategic Transactions, Informa’s premium source for tracking life sciences deal activity, the Venture Funding Deals column provides a comprehensive monthly review of emerging life science companies that have received venture funding, including companies within the In Vitro Diagnostics, Medical Devices, and Pharmaceuticals sectors. This month’s column covers deals announced November through December 2015.

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, medical devices, pharmaceuticals, and research/analytical instrumentation and reagents. All transactions are excerpted from Elsevier's Strategic Transactions database, providing comprehensive transaction coverage from 1991 to the present.

Brief summaries of recent medtech market and industry developments. This month we cover use of fractional flow reserve PCI to avoid unecessary stenting; new European Society of Cardiology guidelines that should increase the use of implantable loop recorders; treating obesity with neurostimulation devices; Asthmatx's positive recommendation from an FDA panel; and the decrease in the number of 510(k) clearances.

Noteworthy news from medtech start-ups. This month we profile Silere Medical, which is developing neurostimulation technology to suppress tinnitus, OrthoData, which makes an implantable diagnostic device to monitor spinal fusion, and ProTip, which is developing porous titanium devices for ear, nose and throat applications.