The market for capsule endoscopy is one of the fastest growing segments in the multibillion-dollar gastrointestinal endoscopy market. The market opportunity is vast and highly underpenetrated, and an increasing number of competitors, new product innovations, and expanding indications for the technology are positioning capsule endoscopy as a market poised for growth – particularly if the technology is proven and FDA cleared for colon cancer indications.

A roundup of recent medtech strategic alliances, mergers & acquisitions and financings.

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

Medical device financing--primarily made up of late venture rounds--totaled just over $1 billion in Q3 2009, a 19% increase over the previous quarter. Acquisition dollars in the industry also surpassed $1 billion and included two $400 million-deals by Abbott. Most of the third quarter financing into in vitro diagnostics and research/analytical came from Qiagen's $628 million FOPO. And Agilent's $1.5 billion purchase of bioanalytical instrument maker Varian was the highest-value takeover.