Private Company Edition: The industry raised $28bn in venture capital through the third quarter, breaking the record $27.4bn raised last year. Also, big pharmas backed a start-up lab in Israel, plus mega-rounds for CinCor Pharma ($143m) and Rectify Pharmaceuticals ($100m), while Cerecin raises $40m.

The former Cerecor boasts four pipeline assets that could yield US FDA priority review vouchers. Having divested CNS assets, the renamed firm will focus on IBD with first-in-class anti-LIGHT candidate, plus immunology and rare diseases.

Derived from Strategic Transactions, Informa’s premium source for tracking life-sciences deals, the bimonthly Pacts In Medtech column pulls up notable technology alliances, R&D partnerships and commercial collaborations. In this edition, we highlight industry pacts that were sealed in July and August 2017.

2016 was a year of surprise and change in political circles, but that's nothing new for the medtech industry, which over a number of years has become accustomed to health care systems demanding different and ever-higher levels of service. Smart medtechs have been ahead of the curve, but the whole industry now factors in clients' wider needs in a holistic approach to patient care. Many companies' current M&A policies are already reflecting the changes to come.