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Healthcare News, Deals, and Investments Update September 28th, 2026

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Healthcare Weekly News and Deals – Sept 28th, 2026

  1. Webster Equity Partners to acquire Lifecore Biomedical (NASD: LFCR) for $6.28 per share in cash plus CVRs, valuing the sterile-injectable CDMO at up to $663.7 million. Lifecore is a Chaska, Minnesota contract manufacturer for sterile injectables — syringes, vials and cartridges, including complex formulations — and a large producer of injectable-grade hyaluronic acid. Common holders get $6.28 a share in cash, a 49.5 percent premium to the September 25 close. Contingent value rights tied to 2028 and 2029 revenue and 2030 EBITDA can add $160 million in the aggregate, or $9.67 a share if every milestone hits. MidCap Financial, MSD Partners and Alcon committed the debt; Webster committed the equity. The merger agreement includes a 30-day go-shop. The company stays in Chaska under the Lifecore name, with a close aimed at year-end. (Link)
  2. Ardan Equity is investing in clinical trial technology company Clinical ink alongside existing backer GI Partners at a total enterprise value of more than $500 million. Healthcare software specialist Ardan Equity is investing in Clinical ink, the clinical trial technology company, alongside existing backer GI Partners. GI Partners acquired a majority interest in Clinical ink in August 2020, when prior investor NovaQuest stayed on as a minority holder and management invested significantly. The new round adds a sponsor that invests exclusively in healthcare software, while GI Partners keeps its exposure as Clinical ink builds on a platform that brings data, technology and patient science together for trial sponsors. (Link)
  3. Clearlake Capital Group and Charlesbank Capital Partners have agreed to inject approximately $175 million of preferred equity into distressed healthcare software provider Symplr, as part of a creditor-backed recapitalization designed to shore up its finances and extend its debt maturities. Clearlake Capital Group and Charlesbank Capital Partners will provide around $175 million of preferred equity to Symplr under a restructuring agreed with several creditor groups, with the sponsors deferring interest on newly issued junior debt to preserve cash. Second-lien lenders are expected to add $103.5 million through a first-out second-lien loan, while first-lien holders would receive a 100-basis-point coupon increase for extending the 2027 maturity by three years. Symplr’s roughly $1.2 billion first-lien term loan was recently quoted near 71.4 cents on the dollar amid concerns over AI’s impact on software. Company is held in a single-asset continuation vehicle. (Link)
  4. Existing shareholders Star One Global Capital Limited and Eliyahou Harari have fully funded an $18 million registered direct offering in Nasdaq-listed capsule endoscopy developer CapsoVision (CV), buying 3,163,444 shares at $5.69 each. CapsoVision (CV) has raised about $18 million through a registered direct offering funded entirely by existing shareholders Star One Global Capital Limited and Eliyahou Harari. Under a September 17 securities purchase agreement, the investors agreed to buy 3,163,444 shares at $5.69, a roughly 5% discount to the prior Nasdaq close, with no underwriter involved. The insider-backed raise, approved by the board and reviewed by the audit committee, strengthens the balance sheet of the Saratoga, California-based capsule endoscopy developer, which has a market value of about $299.8 million. Proceeds will fund sales and marketing, R&D and working capital as it advances AI-assisted CapsoCam Plus and a second-generation colon capsule. (Link)
  5. Lexeo Therapeutics (NASD: LXEO) has agreed to acquire Mantle Therapeutics for $8.3 million in cash and equity plus up to $13 million in milestones, adding Friedreich ataxia programs. Mantle is a private clinical-stage company with four Friedreich ataxia candidates designed to raise or replace frataxin in the brain. One is an oral combination already in patients; another is an RNA construct linked to an anti-TfR1 antibody fragment. On the same day Lexeo signed a sponsored-research agreement with Weill Cornell on intra-cisternal dosing of LX2006 and took options from Vivet Therapeutics and Apertura Gene Therapy. Management says the cash on hand still lasts into 2028. The acquisition is expected to close this quarter. (Link)
  6. Avesi Partners has made an investment in St. Louis-based New Age Medical, a spinal MedTech hub connecting manufacturers, sales reps, hospitals and surgeons. Avesi invests in lower-middle-market healthcare services and technology and now has more than $2.2 billion under management. New Age sits between implant makers and the operating room: more than 85 OEMs, 100-plus independent reps, 200-plus hospitals and surgery centers, and 350-plus spine surgeons. Founder and chief executive Kevin Bly remains in place with the current management team. The check is meant to move product from the plant to the table faster, not to recapitalize a clinic chain. (Link)
  7. GoodVets has acquired WellHaven Pet Health, adding more than 40 veterinary hospitals and taking the combined network from 75 to 116 locations. GoodVets, based in Chicago, has mostly opened hospitals from scratch with local veterinarians. WellHaven already runs more than 40 clinics across seven states, with clusters in the Pacific Northwest and the Midwest. Those sites will move onto GoodVets’ central operating model and, over time, onto the GoodVets name. Existing clinic teams and patient panels stay in place. Terms were not published. (Link)
  8. Prisma Health has agreed to acquire 36 South Carolina urgent care centers, formerly Doctor’s Care, from Novant Health. Novant had been running the former Doctor’s Care sites. Closing is set for November 1, when the clinics convert to the Prisma Health Urgent Care name and about 500 employees come across. Patients keep walk-in, booked and virtual visits — including respiratory tests, X-ray and labs — and gain a referral path into Prisma’s hospitals and specialists. Most locations stay put; a few may fold into a neighboring center, with affected staff offered jobs nearby. Purchase price was not disclosed. (Link)
  9. Forge, the B2B events and media company backed by Apollo Funds (APO), has agreed to acquire Becker’s Healthcare from Pamlico Capital, combining it with Fierce Healthcare and Life Sciences to create a scaled healthcare and life sciences media and events platform. Forge, formed by combining Emerald and Questex after their acquisition by Apollo Funds (APO) in July 2026, has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Chicago-based Becker’s Healthcare from Pamlico Capital. The deal includes Becker’s 16 annual conferences, more than a dozen digital publications and its newsletters, podcasts and executive communities, which reach over 1.5 million healthcare leaders. Combined with Forge’s Fierce Healthcare and Life Sciences, the platform will run more than 35 live events. (Link)
  10. May River Capital has sold Addison, Illinois-based environmental monitoring platform Dickson to Copeland, a portfolio company of Blackstone (BX), expanding Copeland’s cold chain monitoring capabilities for healthcare and life sciences customers. May River Capital has sold Dickson to Copeland, a Blackstone (BX) portfolio company with approximately 18,000 employees across more than 40 countries. May River acquired Dickson in April 2018 and turned the family-owned, single-site business into a global environmental monitoring platform serving customers in more than 50 countries from Illinois, France and Malaysia. During its ownership, May River invested in next-generation sensing and cloud-based monitoring and took private Oceasoft, a publicly traded French monitoring company. Dickson serves regulated life sciences, pharmaceutical, healthcare and medical device customers, advancing Copeland’s cold chain intelligence offering (Link)
  11. Arcventis Health Partners has made a majority growth investment in Chicago-based functional medicine and hormone health provider Aligned Modern Health, with existing investor Harbour Point Capital remaining a meaningful shareholder, to fund national telehealth expansion and the launch of peptide therapy. Arcventis Health Partners, a US healthcare investor with growth equity and growth buyout strategies, has taken a majority stake in Aligned Modern Health, while Harbour Point Capital stays on as a meaningful investor. AMH operates 15 clinics across Chicago, a telehealth practice serving patients in more than 20 states and a team of 100-plus clinicians spanning functional medicine, hormone replacement therapy, chiropractic care and acupuncture. The capital will fund national expansion, broader clinical offerings including newly launched peptide therapy, the digital patient experience and provider hiring. AMH accepts most major insurance, which sets it apart from self-pay and concierge models. No valuation was disclosed. (Link)
  12. 1315 Capital has led a growth capital investment in Richmond, Texas-based medical device developer and manufacturer Velentium Medical, joining existing investor Great Point Partners as a significant shareholder to scale commercial manufacturing of wearable and implantable devices. Philadelphia-based 1315 Capital, which manages over $1 billion, led a growth capital investment in Velentium Medical, a developer and manufacturer of active Class II wearable and Class III implantable medical devices. Great Point Partners, which manages about $1.7 billion, remains a significant shareholder. Velentium operates from a 50,000-square-foot manufacturing facility after expanding from an engineering shop into commercial production. Proceeds go to manufacturing capacity, product development and regulatory infrastructure. 1315 takes minority and majority stakes in commercial-stage healthcare and outsourced medtech companies. (Link)
  13. Newly launched Boston private equity firm Haelan Capital Partners has made its first investment in Boca Raton, Florida-based virtual acute care provider NuView Health, pairing its capital with an in-house team of experienced healthcare operators. Boston-based Haelan Capital Partners launched with an investment in NuView Health, a hybrid onsite and virtual care partner to hospitals and provider groups across ICU, neurology, stroke and infectious disease. Founded by Gregg Osenkowski and Scott Castle, Haelan pursues control buyouts of founder-owned, lower middle market tech-enabled healthcare services businesses. Its Growth Enablement Model places an in-house C-suite of healthcare operators alongside the investment team to build portfolio infrastructure. NuView has about 150 active providers across more than 60 facilities and a 15-year clinical track record, and its doctors have treated over one million US patients. No deal value was announced. (Link) (Link)
  14. 5th Century Partners has completed a strategic investment in ION PT Network, a founder-led physical therapy management company serving the workers’ compensation market, to refine its commercial strategy while preserving its clinician-led model. Chicago-based 5th Century Partners, which invests in lower middle-market healthcare and business services companies, has made a strategic investment in ION PT Network. Founded in 2017 by physical therapist Joseph Noel, ION manages workers’ compensation physical therapy for payers, employers and third-party administrators through independent providers, assigning each referral to a licensed clinical case owner; more than half its staff are licensed therapists. 5CP plans to refine ION’s business and commercial strategy while preserving its clinical model. Noel remains CEO, supported by newly added chief revenue officer Sara Mulick and chief financial officer Alina Schreiber. Terms were not disclosed. (Link)
  15. Ascend Learning has acquired AI-powered healthcare workforce scheduling platform M7 Health, combining it with its StaffGarden and Laudio brands to support clinicians from schooling through day-to-day staffing. Boston-based Ascend Learning, a healthcare and learning technology company, has acquired M7 Health, whose AI platform forecasts staffing demand, balances schedules and recruits to fill gaps for health systems ranging from academic medical centers to rural hospitals. M7 customers have cut administrative burden by more than 60%, premium labor spend by 35% and nurse turnover by 30%. The deal pairs M7 with Ascend’s StaffGarden and Laudio brands, extending a platform that supports more than 60% of nursing schools and 245,000 allied health professionals a year. It follows Ascend’s August acquisition of TAMS, continuing its expansion in healthcare workforce technology. Terms were not disclosed. (Link)
  16. Carisk Partners has acquired onsite occupational healthcare provider FirstCare Onsite to connect injured workers with care from the point of injury through complex recovery in the workers’ compensation market. Tampa-based Carisk Partners, a specialty risk transfer, care coordination and clinical services company in workers’ compensation, has acquired FirstCare Onsite. FirstCare places clinicians at employer worksites and has historically resolved roughly 30% of workplace injuries before they became claims. Carisk will keep FirstCare’s onsite model while routing complex cases into its specialty care, complex care management and behavioral health services. Carisk plans to invest in expanding FirstCare’s onsite programs, particularly among large employers with concentrated workforces. (Link)
  17. MGA Homecare has acquired Care IV Home Health’s private duty nursing division, entering Arkansas as its seventh state and expanding in-home care for medically complex pediatric and adult patients. MGA Homecare has acquired Care IV Home Health’s private duty nursing division, which has served medically complex Arkansas patients for more than three decades, including children and adults who depend on ventilators or tracheostomies. The carve-out let’s Care IV focus exclusively on its Medicare intermittent skilled home health business. MGA is keeping the division’s leadership, headed by Joseph Kennon, and its nursing workforce, and plans to use the unit to reach rural and underserved patients and pursue value-based partnerships with health plans. MGA now has more than 5,500 team members serving over 6,000 patients daily across seven states. Terms were not disclosed. (Link)
  18. Nashville-based Chord Specialty Dental Partners has entered Ohio by partnering with Ohio-based pediatric practices Prairie Kids Dental of West Jefferson and Clover Kids Dental of Columbus, extending its network to eight states. Chord Specialty Dental Partners, a Nashville-based dental support organization, has partnered with two Ohio pediatric practices: Prairie Kids Dental in West Jefferson and Clover Kids Dental in Columbus. Both practices are led by founder Kimberly Gill, DDS. The deal marks Chord’s entry into Ohio and brings its footprint to eight states. Chord supports more than 60 partner practices across pediatric dentistry, orthodontics, oral surgery and ambulatory surgery centers. The deal adds to an active consolidation market: professional services, the segment Healthcare DealHub files it under, leads that site’s 2026 year-to-date healthcare deal count with 386 transactions. Terms were not disclosed. (Link)
  19. Hope Network has acquired Developmental Enhancement Behavioral Health, a roughly 90-person West Michigan autism services provider, nearly doubling the footprint of its Center for Autism. Michigan’s Hope Network has acquired Developmental Enhancement Behavioral Health, a roughly 90-person provider of Applied Behavior Analysis, psychological assessment and counseling with locations in Grand Rapids, Holland and Georgetown Township. The deal nearly doubles the footprint of Hope Network’s Center for Autism, which operates in Kentwood, Holland Township, Livonia and Okemos. Financial terms were not released. Integration is planned in phases through about spring 2027. DE locations, clinicians and care models stay in place, with no immediate rebranding. (Link)
  20. Penn Medicine, Independence Blue Cross (IBX) and Regent Surgical have formed a new joint company to develop at least 18 ambulatory surgery centers across Greater Philadelphia, combining health-system, payer and ASC operator capabilities to shift procedures into lower-cost outpatient settings. Penn Medicine, Independence Blue Cross and Regent Surgical are launching a new company to develop at least 18 ambulatory surgery centers across Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware. Penn brings the clinical network, IBX the payer, and Regent the ASC development and operating platform. Hospital facility fees can run close to twice ASC fees; Vizient has projected outpatient surgical volumes up 20 percent through 2035. No financial terms were disclosed. (Link)
  21. OceanSound Partners-backed PAR Excellence Systems, based in Cincinnati, Ohio, has acquired Madison, Wisconsin-based healthcare RFID inventory tracking company Terso Solutions from Promega Corporation to build a unified hospital inventory management platform. PAR Excellence Systems, an OceanSound Partners portfolio company, has acquired Terso Solutions from its parent, Promega Corporation. Terso makes ultra-high-frequency RFID enclosures, open-air readers and cloud software that let hospitals track high-value inventory in real time, with thousands of enclosures installed across hundreds of hospitals and health systems, including the US Department of Veterans Affairs. The companies have worked together for years, and hundreds of PAR clients already connect Terso enclosures to PAR’s TrackCore tissue and implant tracking software. The combined business serves about 1,700 hospitals, nearly 30% of the roughly 6,000 in the US, and aims to replace fragmented point solutions. Financial terms were not disclosed. (Link)
  22. RS2 Healthcare Partners has completed its first new platform investment since refocusing exclusively on healthcare, backing Hatboro, Pennsylvania-based medical device contract manufacturer KMM Group and appointing J. Mark King as CEO. Boston-based RS2 Healthcare Partners, formerly Riverside Partners, has invested in KMM Group, a vertically integrated precision contract manufacturer of complex, tight-tolerance components for the medical device industry. The deal is RS2’s first new platform since the firm rebranded earlier this year to focus exclusively on lower middle-market healthcare; RS2 has raised $1.6 billion in total commitments since its 1989 founding. RS2 appointed J. Mark King, previously CEO of former RS2 portfolio company Tegra Medical, as KMM’s president and CEO. Founders John Shegda and Eric Wilhelm stay on as chief technology officer and executive vice president of business transformation, respectively. No terms were announced. (Link)
  23. Arlington Capital Partners portfolio company AVS Bio has acquired Cambridge, UK-based bio-reagent supplier Biorbyt Ltd. to expand its biomaterials catalog and ecommerce capabilities. AVS Bio, a Norwich, Connecticut provider of bioprocessing inputs and services backed by Arlington Capital Partners, has acquired Biorbyt Ltd., a Cambridge, UK supplier with more than 1 million SKUs of antibodies, proteins, ELISA kits and molecular biology reagents. The add-on expands AVS Bio’s research catalog and adds Biorbyt’s ecommerce channel. Arlington is investing from its $6 billion Fund VII. Biorbyt’s leadership team stays in place. (Link)
  24. Audax Private Equity-backed Elevate ENT Partners has acquired West Texas Ear, Nose & Throat, expanding its otolaryngology physician practice management platform across Texas. Elevate ENT Partners, backed by Audax Private Equity, has acquired West Texas Ear, Nose & Throat, which operates locations in Abilene and Brownwood. The practice is led by its sole physician, Dr. Jason Acevedo, with 11 healthcare and administrative staff, and provides otolaryngology, head and neck surgery and allergy treatment. The deal is Elevate’s first practice acquisition of 2026 and extends its reach across Texas. Elevate supports a national network of more than 80 otolaryngology centers and over 130 affiliated physicians. It gives physician-led ENT and allergy practices management infrastructure, revenue cycle management, payer contracting, human resources and operational scale. Financial terms were not disclosed. (Link)
  25. Rays of Belief Limited (MOMSBELIEF), operating as Mom’s Belief, has acquired 100% of New York-based pediatric Early Intervention provider City Pro Group through its subsidiary Mom’s Belief US Inc. to build a US developmental care platform. India-based Rays of Belief (MOMSBELIEF), which runs 136 developmental care centres under the Mom’s Belief brand, has acquired all of City Pro Group through wholly owned subsidiary Mom’s Belief US Inc., effective September 18, 2026. Founded in 1995, CPG provides pediatric Early Intervention and special education services across the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan and Long Island. CPG generated US$11.43 million (about ₹97.27 crore) of FY25 revenue, more than the acquirer’s FY26 consolidated revenue of ₹81.66 crore, so the deal could roughly double the group’s scale. The acquisition gives the company a US operating platform and a two-way exchange of clinical know-how between India and the US. Consideration was not disclosed. (Link)

Venture Deals and Other

  1. Pershing Square Inc. (PS), the Ackman Oxman Institute and an undisclosed life sciences investment fund have co-led Precision Neuroscience’s oversubscribed $250 million Series D, joined by Duquesne Family Office, B Capital, ARK Invest, Invus, Mubadala Capital, Mirae Asset Capital, Korea Investment Partners (parent Korea Investment Holdings, KRX: 071050), Hitachi Ventures (parent Hitachi, TYO: 6501) and JSL Health Capital, to advance its brain-computer interface toward commercialization. Pershing Square Inc. (PS), the Ackman Oxman Institute and an undisclosed life sciences fund co-led Precision Neuroscience’s oversubscribed $250 million Series D, lifting total capital raised to $430 million since the brain-computer interface developer was founded in 2021. Duquesne Family Office, B Capital, ARK Invest, Invus, Mubadala Capital, Mirae Asset Capital, Korea Investment Partners (parent KRX: 071050), Hitachi Ventures (parent TYO: 6501) and JSL Health Capital also joined, spanning sovereign wealth, venture, public-market and family-office capital. Precision holds FDA clearance for its Layer 7 cortical interface, has completed more than 100 procedures across 18 institutions and partners with Medtronic (MDT). Proceeds will fund clinical expansion, further FDA review and commercialization. (Link)
  2. Francisco Partners has led a $155 million Series E in pharmacy benefit management and care navigation company Rightway, with participation from existing investors Thrive Capital and Khosla Ventures, to expand its AI and technology capabilities. Francisco Partners led a $155 million Series E in New York-based Rightway, with existing investors Thrive Capital and Khosla Ventures participating. Rightway provides pharmacy benefit management and care navigation for employers. Its financial model removes any incentive to profit from higher drug spend, and pharmacists guide members to the most appropriate medications at the lowest cost. It now counts 45 Fortune 500 companies as clients, nearly 10% of the index. Its SureSpend model caps total pharmacy spend and covers GLP-1s and rare high-cost drugs at net cost with 100% rebate pass-through. Proceeds will expand Rightway’s AI and technology. Francisco Partners, with over $75 billion raised, brings healthcare technology expertise. (Link)
  3. .406 Ventures has led a $22 million Series A in at-home cervical cancer screening company Teal Health, with continued backing from Emerson Collective (managed by Yosemite), Forerunner and Serena Ventures and new participation from Japan-based MPower Partners, ahead of broad insurance coverage in 2027. .406 Ventures led a $22 million Series A in Teal Health, maker of the Teal Wand, the first FDA-authorized self-collection device for at-home HPV cervical cancer screening. Emerson Collective (managed by Yosemite), Forerunner and Serena Ventures returned, and Japan-based MPower Partners joined, lifting total funding to $45 million. Federal guidelines due in January 2027 require most health plans to cover self-collection screening. Proceeds go to payor, health system, employer and provider contracts, direct-purchase channels and hiring. Teal reports that 59 percent of women who use the wand had been underscreened. (Link)
  4. NEA has led a $20 million Series A in Nashville-based AI post-acute admissions platform Basalt Health, with participation from existing investors Frist Cressey Ventures and 25m Health, to scale across Lifepoint Health and ScionHealth hospitals. Return investor NEA led a $20 million Series A in Nashville-based Basalt Health, with existing backers Frist Cressey Ventures and 25m Health, 25madison’s healthtech venture studio, participating; total funding now stands at about $24.5 million. Basalt’s AI reads post-acute referrals and checks them against clinical and payer rules, cutting median processing time by 86% at Lifepoint Health. The capital will support scaling across 111 markets by the end of 2026, including 62 ScionHealth hospitals and 49 Lifepoint markets, plus expansion into discharge and payer workflows. NEA, with more than $38 billion in assets under management, and Frist Cressey, with $846 million, bring deep healthcare networks. (Link)
  5. Accel has led a $10 million seed round in New York-based healthcare conversational AI company Clarion Health, with participation from Y Combinator, to automate scheduling, referrals, prescription refills and patient communications for providers. Accel led a $10 million seed round in New York-based Clarion Health, with participation from Y Combinator. Clarion’s conversational AI platform automates scheduling, referrals, prescription refills and patient communications for healthcare providers. Founded in 2024 by Ryan Gallagher and Jeffrey Lamothe, the company is building what Y Combinator calls an AI communication layer for healthcare, with agents that handle the overwhelming volume of calls and messages providers receive. The Accel-led round gives the two-year-old startup capital to scale its AI communication infrastructure for healthcare providers, and the company is actively hiring following the raise. (Link)
  6. Surgeon investors have backed Redefine Surgery’s oversubscribed pre-seed round, bringing total capital raised to $10 million, as Catalyst OrthoScience joins as Founding Partner to co-develop surgical intelligence for shoulder replacement. Redefine Surgery has closed an oversubscribed pre-seed round backed mostly by surgeon investors, bringing total capital raised to $10 million. The company is combining computer vision, software and robotics in a portable platform for the operating room, starting in orthopedics. Naples, Florida-based Catalyst OrthoScience joined as founding partner on surgical intelligence for shoulder replacement. More than 25 surgeons advise the company. Commercial use still requires regulatory clearance. (Link)
  7. Ground State Ventures has led a $3.4 million pre-seed round in Azulene Labs, with participation from existing investor Entrada Ventures and angel investors, to build physics-based AI models for drug and materials simulation. Ground State Ventures led a $3.4 million pre-seed round in Azulene Labs, with participation from existing investor Entrada Ventures and angel investors. Azulene builds physics-based models trained on quantum-mechanical data for drug and materials simulation. Co-founder Nicolas Sawaya previously led quantum chemistry algorithm work at Intel Labs. Proceeds go to hiring and to work with biotech and industrial chemistry customers. (Link)
  8. Elmstead Partners, Chisos Capital, the Chemical Angel Network and individual angel investors have backed Axio BioPharma’s $2.4 million pre-seed round to connect biomanufacturing data between pharma companies and their manufacturing partners. Elmstead Partners, Chisos Capital, the Chemical Angel Network and a group of individual angels invested in Axio BioPharma’s $2.4 million pre-seed round. The Madison, Wisconsin company connects manufacturing data between drug sponsors and their manufacturing partners through a product called Lattice, with each side keeping its own systems. Proceeds fund first deployments with design partners and further work on Rosetta, an ontology layer that maps those systems to each other. (Link)

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Healthcare News, Deals, and Investments Update Jan 26th, 2026

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  1. Winter Storm Fern Cripples Half the Country This Weekend
    • CNBC: $100B expected economic loss and damages from storm (Link) 
    • CNBC: Transportation Sec. Duffy says air travel will return to normal by Wednesday (Link) 
    • The Weather Channel: Winter Storm Fern Turns Deadly In Louisiana, Outages For Hundreds Of Thousands Vulnerable To Ice, Snow (Link) 
    • National Public Radio: As the winter storm rages, here’s what to know in your state(Link)
  2. GSK (NYSE:GSK) pays $2.2B to acquire Rapt Therapeutics (NASD:RAPT) and Food Allergy Antibody Ozureprubart GSK is acquiring Rapt Therapeutics for $58 per share, gaining global (ex‑China) rights to ozureprubart, an extended‑half‑life anti‑IgE antibody being studied as a 12‑weekly prophylactic treatment for food allergies. Unlike currently approved IgE inhibitors that require injections every 2–4 weeks, ozureprubart aims to offer sustained protection with less frequent dosing while targeting the same validated pathway as Xolair. The deal follows Rapt’s strategic pivot away from its CCR4 inhibitor program after clinical setbacks and positions ozureprubart for phase 2 readout in 2027 and a planned phase 3 program, backed by GSK’s global development and commercialization infrastructure. (Link)
  3. BioCryst (NASD: BCRX) acquires Astria Therapeutics (NASD:ATXS) in $700M deal to Build Comprehensive Hereditary Angioedema Treatment Platform The transaction adds Navenibart, a long-acting plasma kallikrein inhibitor in Phase 3, which is being developed as a prophylactic HAE treatment with every‑three or every‑six month dosing to improve patient convenience and attack control. BioCryst now pairs its existing oral therapy ORLADEYO with a potential injectable option to give clinicians more flexibility in tailoring care. The deal also brings STAR0310, an early atopic dermatitis program for which strategic options will be explored, and augments BioCryst’s leadership with Astria’s former CEO joining the board and a senior development leader taking charge of technical operations. (Link)
  4. Georgia ProtonCare Center, Inc. Files Chapter 11 to Facilitate Competitive Sale Process and Enters Into Asset Purchase Agreement With Emory Healthcare Georgia ProtonCare Center (GPCC), owner of Georgia’s only proton therapy cancer treatment facility in Midtown Atlanta, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy to facilitate a court-supervised sale process and ensure uninterrupted patient care. The company has signed an asset purchase agreement with Emory Healthcare (via Emory University Hospital Midtown) as the stalking horse bidder to acquire substantially all assets, with Emory clinicians already providing daily treatment at the center. GPCC aims to complete the competitive sale by Q2 2026, prioritizing seamless continuation of precision proton therapy services for cancer patients while operations continue as usual under court-approved funding. (Link)
  5. KidsChoice Announces Majority Investment from Aquitaine Capital to Support Growth and Clinical Excellence KidsChoice, an Oklahoma-based provider of clinic-centered autism and pediatric therapy services including ABA, speech, and occupational therapy, has secured a majority investment from women-owned private equity firm Aquitaine Capital to fuel expansion, enhance clinical excellence, and strengthen infrastructure. The partnership supports thoughtful growth through new clinic openings, strategic M&A, and complementary offerings while prioritizing individualized, outcomes-driven care for children and families. (Link)
  6. Community Health Systems Sells Crestwood Medical Center to Huntsville Hospital Health System in $450M Deal The transaction will transfer Crestwood Medical Center, a 180‑bed acute care hospital in Huntsville, Alabama, along with a freestanding emergency department in Harvest and multiple clinics and outpatient assets, to a regional nonprofit operator. Crestwood’s roughly 1,000 employees will continue normal operations with no planned changes to services or medical staff privileges during the transition. Huntsville Hospital Health System, already a major 14‑hospital network across northern Alabama and southern Tennessee, views the deal as a way to better coordinate local care as Huntsville’s population rapidly grows, while the seller continues its strategy of divesting assets to strengthen its financial position. (Link)
  7. BioStem Technologies (OTC: BSEM) and BioTissue sign Up to $40M Surgical and Wound Care Asset DealThe transaction adds BioTissue’s Neox and Clarix placental- and umbilical‑tissue allograft product lines, along with a national direct and independent sales force and key group purchasing organization contracts, giving BioStem an immediate presence in hospital inpatient and outpatient settings. The acquired surgical and wound care assets, which generated about $29 million in 2025 sales, broaden BioStem’s chronic and acute wound care portfolio and create entry into high‑value segments such as burns and soft‑tissue repair. Deal terms include an upfront $15 million cash payment plus up to $25 million in potential regulatory and commercial milestone payments. (Link)
  8. Harmony Healthcare IT acquires Blue Elm, via its financial sponsor Novacap to build Comprehensive MEDITECH Data Lifecycle Platform Harmony Healthcare IT has acquired Blue Elm to offer MEDITECH hospitals a single, end-to-end partner for data extraction, conversion, migration, archiving, optimization, and real-time access across all MEDITECH versions. The combined capabilities help hospitals retire costly legacy systems, strengthen data integrity, and improve accessibility as they upgrade or transition EHR platforms. By unifying services under one organization and relying on U.S.-based resources instead of offshore outsourcing, the company aims to shorten complex project timelines, enhance security and quality, and better support hospitals under pressure to improve care quality while reducing operating costs. (Link)
  9. PhaseWell Research acquires Bio Behavioral Health Partner, via its financial sponsor Shore Capital Partners to expand Community-Based Neuropsychiatric Clinical Trials The acquisition will strengthen PhaseWell’s national network of community clinical research sites focused on neurologic and psychiatric disorders. The collaboration aims to broaden patient access to neuropsychiatric trials by leveraging BBH’s experience in community-based studies and PhaseWell’s nationwide platform and infrastructure. Together, the organizations plan to support sponsors with reliable patient enrolment, strong operational execution, and high-quality data while advancing next-generation CNS therapeutics across complex therapeutic areas, including oncology, cardiovascular/metabolic conditions, and dermatology. (Link)
  10. Pair Team acquires Town Square to Advance AI-Enabled Community Care for Medicare and Medicaid Beneficiaries The acquisition combines an AI-driven medical group with a social care coordination platform to better integrate clinical, behavioral, and social services for underserved populations. Technology will orchestrate complex, cross-setting care tasks so human teams can concentrate on clinical decisions, hands-on support, and relationships with patients and local organizations. Town Square’s founder will lead network expansion and community partnerships within the new structure, which emphasizes responsible AI, robust outcomes measurement, and investment in community-based infrastructure to extend whole-person care to people historically excluded from the healthcare system. (Link)
  11. Aspen Surgical expands Infection Prevention Portfolio with acquisition of Ruhof Healthcare, via its financial sponsors Linden and Audax Private Equity The buyer is adding enzymatic detergents, cleaning verification tools, and automated and manual instrument and endoscope reprocessing solutions to deepen its presence in operating rooms, sterile processing, and endoscopy settings. Ruhof’s portfolio, including Endozime detergents, ScopeValet single-use consumables, CleanRead ATP contamination monitoring, and instrument refurbishment services, will bolster the SPD360 Performance Solutions platform and complement existing brands such as Symmetry, Bookwalter, and Precept. The transaction covers all Ruhof operations, brands, and product lines, with integration set to begin immediately and no near-term disruption expected for customers, suppliers, or employees. (Link)
  12. TridentCare acquires DispatchHealth Imaging Unit to Grow National Portable Diagnostics Network The acquisition adds a multistate mobile X‑ray and ultrasound operation that serves patients at home, in post‑acute facilities, and in correctional settings, expanding TridentCare’s reach and capacity. By integrating these imaging teams and customers into its national infrastructure, TridentCare aims to speed response times, improve scheduling flexibility, and deliver more consistent service quality for clinicians and patients. DispatchHealth will continue focusing on providing complex care in the home and will coordinate imaging through technology and partnerships so patients and providers experience seamless, integrated services. (Link)
  13. Morris & Dickson Completes Transaction to Acquire Prodigy Health Morris & Dickson (M&D), the nation’s largest independent wholesale and specialty pharmaceutical distributor, has completed its acquisition of Prodigy Health, a specialty pharmaceutical distribution and services company focused on plasma-derived therapies. The transaction expands M&D’s specialty portfolio, broadens access to plasma therapies for hospitals, clinics, infusion centers, and alternative care sites nationwide, and strengthens its independent platform for manufacturers through a compliance-first approach. (Link)
  14. Main Post Partners and HomeWell Leadership acquire HomeWell Franchising to Accelerate Senior In‑Home Care Growth The deal pairs a national non‑medical home care franchisor with a private equity firm experienced in franchising and consumer service brands, aiming to fuel the next phase of expansion. The partners emphasize a “partnership, not ownership” philosophy, focusing on close collaboration with franchisees and caregivers to scale services while preserving mission and culture. Building on several years of rapid revenue growth and record franchise development, the company plans to invest in tools, resources, and support that help local agencies grow and better serve seniors and homebound individuals in their communities. (Link)

Venture and Other News  

  1. Zarminali Paediatrics raises $110M in Series A funding led by Healthier Capital, with participation from General Catalyst, K2 HealthVentures, and Boston Children’s Hospital to expand integrated paediatric care footprint The company will use the new capital to scale its proprietary tech platform, enter additional states and open de novo clinics while continuing to acquire established paediatric groups. Its model centers on a single branded multispecialty practice that co-locates clinics with urgent care, directly employing both paediatricians and specialists to coordinate care across the full continuum outside the hospital. Since launching in 2024, Zarminali has rapidly expanded to 28 clinics in eight states and plans at least 15 new sites in 2026, while laying groundwork for future value-based arrangements and building analytics to track clinician performance and patient outcomes. (Link)
  2. Mendra launches with $82M Series A co-led by OrbiMed, 8VC, and 5AM Ventures, with participation from Lux Capital and Wing VC to advance AI-driven rare disease therapeutics Mendra will use the oversubscribed financing to acquire and develop an initial portfolio of high-potential rare disease assets while applying AI to speed patient identification, trial enrollment and global market access. The company is built to modernize how rare disease medicines are developed and commercialized so they reach underserved patients more efficiently worldwide. A veteran leadership team with deep experience in rare disease drug development, global commercialization and AI—drawn from organizations such as BioMarin, Modis Therapeutics, Escient Pharmaceuticals, Palantir and Bayer—will guide strategy across asset selection, clinical execution and business development. (Link)
  3. AnswersNow raises $40M in Series B funding led by HealthQuest Capital, with participation from Left Lane Capital and Owl Ventures to Scale AI-Enabled Virtual Autism Therapy The company will use the new capital to expand its platform, double clinical headcount, add senior leaders and launch new service lines to meet surging demand for autism support. Its AI-driven model pairs families across the U.S. with Master’s- and PhD-level BCBAs for targeted, parent-mediated virtual ABA, cutting weekly therapy time from 30+ hours to about 4–5 while sustaining strong clinical gains. Outcomes data show high family-reported improvements, substantial cost savings for payors and a consistently strong satisfaction score, with forthcoming research in 2026 intended to further validate clinical and economic impact. (Link)
  4. BrightInsight secures $13M investment from Eclipse, General Catalyst, Insight Partners, Mayo Clinic and New Leaf Venture Partners to scale its AI-enabled medication adherence platform The company will deploy the capital to expand its AI-enabled persistence and adherence solutions, including a co-developed Patient App used across multiple diseases and therapies worldwide. By leveraging real-world data and advanced analytics, the platform targets chronically low adherence rates, aiming to predict churn and trigger personalized interventions that keep patients on therapy. BrightInsight reports strong patient engagement and one-year retention across programs and plans to deepen its product roadmap, broaden disease and biopharma partnerships, and add support for caregivers and nurse educators to ease pressure on health systems. (Link)
  5. McKinsey & Co Released their Annual Healthcare Outlook Report. To remain competitive in 2026 and beyond, healthcare leaders must improve performance, embrace technology and rethink traditional care models (Link)
  6. IPO Watchlist
    • Once Upon a Farm — Organic children’s food company co-founded by Jennifer Garner, is targeting a valuation of up to $764.4 million in its upcoming U.S. IPO on the NYSE under the ticker OFRM. (Link)
    • Kallyope — New York City-based biotechnology company specializing in novel therapeutics targeting the gut-brain axis and neural circuits.
    • Kardium — Vancouver area based medical device company focused on cardiac electrophysiology solutions; develops advanced catheter-based systems for the diagnosis and minimally invasive treatment of atrial fibrillation.
    • Tenpoint Therapeutics — London, UK-headquartered (with U.S. operations in Seattle and Irvine) ophthalmic biotechnology company dedicated to age-related vision restoration therapies.
    • Vensure Employer Solutions — Chandler, AZ -based professional employer organization (PEO) and provider of human capital management (HCM) technology serving the healthcare and broader employer ecosystem.