M&A TRANSACTIONS
Pharma & Biotech  8 transactions totaling $323 million   Supplies, Equipment & Services  12 transactions totaling $1,925 million  Healthcare IT & Managed Care  7 transactions totaling $0 million  Healthcare Facilities & Distributors  14 transactions totaling $1,529 million
PRIVATE PLACEMENTS
	Pharma & Biotech 23 private placements totaling $937 million Supplies, Equipment & Services 13 private placements totaling $113 million Healthcare IT & Managed Care 9 private placements totaling $283 million Healthcare Facilities & Distributors 3 private placements totaling $21 million
PUBLIC OFFERINGS
Pharma & Biotech  14 public offering totaling $236 million  Supplies, Equipment & Services  9 public offerings totaling $1,952 million  Healthcare IT & Managed Care  1 public offerings totaling $57 million  Healthcare Facilities & Distributors  1 public offering totaling $191 million

Each week, w e provide updated trading  comps for leading comp-

To the right you will see a high-level breakdown of median revenue and EBITDA multiples for each of the specific sub sectors.

For a complete trading comp analysis (including the individual equities that comprise the sub sectors), click on the table to the right or use the download link from the top of this newsletter. 

Note: data reflects prior week close.

Massachusetts Upstart Takes on Mighty Purdue Pharma Over Tougher-to-Abuse Opioids

November 22, 2017 -  BioSpace

While the Trump Administration and the federal government makes pronouncements  over the opioid epidemic with very little teeth, a number of biopharma companies are making strides in developing non-opioid pain killers or opioids that are more difficult to abuse. A case in point is Canton, Massachusetts-based Collegium Pharmaceutical. Most recently, Collegium persuaded Cigna, Humana, Navitus and other health insurers in Florida and Pennsylvania to cover its Xtampza instead of Purdue Pharma's OxyContin. Florida Blue, the state's largest insurer, plans to drop OxyContin in January. And on Nov. 7, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Collegium's Supplemental New Drug Application (sNDA) for the labeling of Xtampza ER to change the label to indicate it was more difficult to abuse than the abuse-deterrent version of OxyContin.

Pension funds could be game-changer for UK biotech

November 22, 2017 -  PharmaPhorum

Today could be a major turning point for the UK biotech sector, as changes in government policy could help channel billions of new investment into drug discovery and development.  Biotech and life sciences is one of the UK's most promising hi-tech sectors, but is currently held back compared to US counterparts because of a lack of mid-to-late-stage funding. This is seen as one of the main reasons why the country has failed to produce a world-conquering biotech firm to match American success stories such as Amgen or Genentech.

Acasti Pharma, a biopharmaceutical innovator focused on the research, development and commercialization of its prescription drug candidate CaPre® (omega-3 phospholipid) for the treatment of severe hypertriglyceridemia, today announced that the company recently entered into a non-binding term sheet with a leading China-based pharmaceutical company. Completion of the transaction is subject to further negotiation and execution of a definitive agreement, which once signed would grant an exclusive license to the Chinese pharmaceutical company to commercialize CaPre in certain Asian countries, including China. With the high prevalence of hypertriglyceridemia in Asia, this potential partnership presents a significant opportunity for Acasti and CaPre.

Mediclinic says will not make new offer for Spire Healthcare

November 20, 2017 -  Reuters

South African private hospital group Mediclinic does not intend to make another offer for Spire Healthcare , the firm said on Monday after the British company rejected an earlier bid. Spire, in which Mediclinic holds a stake of almost 30 percent, last month rejected a full takeover offer which valued the company at 1.2 billion pounds ($1.6 billion). Mediclinic had until 1700 GMT on Monday to either make a new offer for Spire or walk away. According to British takeover rules, Mediclinic cannot make another offer for Spire for six months unless there is a change in circumstances.