Clinical laboratories in the US and Europe are facing pressure from all sides as budget cuts and staffing shortages compete with a growing demand for ever-more-sophisticated lab tests to serve an aging population. As a result, lab directors are seeking innovative ways to improve efficiency and do more with less, and those goals are driving innovation in technology-based solutions such as laboratory automation and informatics. These solutions are increasingly becoming integrated into the total laboratory process – encompassing not only sample analysis, but also up- and downstream workflows – paving the way for the fully integrated, automated lab of the future.

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.