The introduction of Apple’s ResearchKit is our top story of the year. Mobile apps and the increasing ability to take measurements of vital signs, gather information on habits and collect other phenotypic measures is rapidly changing thinking about clinical trials design.

The global molecular diagnostics market will grow by $2.4 billion over the next five years according to a global market report from Medtech Insight. Major factors contributing to the healthy growth of this market include advances in technology, as well as the growing understanding of the human genome, pharmacogenomics and the relationship between genes and disease/infection.

Derived from Strategic Transactions, Informa’s premium source for tracking life sciences deal activity, the Medical Device Deals Update column is a survey of recent medtech M&A, alliance, and financing activity. This month’s column covers deals announced June-July 2015.

Device funding increased 123% to $1.6 billion in Q2, and M&A activity was overshadowed by Medtronic’s massive $47 billion acquisition of Covidien. Diagnostics fundraising dropped slightly to $522 million, and there were multiple takeovers of life sciences companies.