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Healthcare News, Deals, and Investments Update October 12th, 2026

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Healthcare Weekly News and Deals – Oct 12th, 2026

  1. Clayton, Dubilier & Rice and McKesson (NYSE: MCK) have agreed to take infusion provider Option Care Health (NASD: OPCH) private in a $5.8 billion deal at $32.05 per share, with CD&R holding 51% and McKesson about 49%. Clayton, Dubilier & Rice and McKesson (MCK) will acquire Option Care Health (OPCH), the largest independent U.S. provider of home and alternate-site infusion services, for $32.05 per share, a 37% premium to its prior close, valuing the deal at $5.8 billion. McKesson plans to invest about $1.4 billion for its roughly 49% interest, and the agreement sets out a framework for McKesson to later buy CD&R’s stake. Option Care treats more than 308,000 patients a year across all 50 states and generated over $5.6 billion of 2025 net revenue. McKesson framed the investment around its specialty and complex-therapy strategy. Closing is expected in the first half of 2027. (Link)
  2. STERIS (NYSE: STE) has agreed to acquire Xodus Medical for $2.1 billion at closing, or about $1.8 billion net of expected tax benefits, plus an earnout of up to $150 million. Xodus was founded in the early 1990s and is based in New Kensington, Pennsylvania, outside Pittsburgh. It builds devices meant to keep patients and operating-room staff safer during surgery. The core product is the Pink Pad, a positioning system used to hold patients in place and reduce pressure injury. A later version combines that pad with underbody warming to address perioperative hypothermia. Hospitals buy the line as a consumable rather than as capital equipment. STERIS already sells infection-prevention products and surgical supplies, so the tuck-in adds a branded safety line. Xodus is expected to do about $245 million of revenue in 2026, with adjusted EBIT of about $135 million. STERIS plans to fund the purchase mainly with debt. Completion is aimed at December 31, 2026 and still needs regulatory sign-off. (Link)
  3. Viatris (NASDAQ: VTRS) has agreed to acquire Pacira BioSciences (NASDAQ: PCRX) for $36.50 a share in cash, or $1.65 billion. Pacira’s commercial book is built on two non-opioid pain drugs. EXPAREL is a liposomal bupivacaine injection used for local pain control after surgery. ZILRETTA is an extended-release steroid injected into the knee for osteoarthritis. The two products booked about $692 million in 2025, and Pacira reported full-year revenue of about $726 million. Both are already on the market, so this is a product acquisition rather than a pipeline bet. The cash price is a 45 percent premium to the prior close. Viatris, based in Pittsburgh, has been shifting from generics and established brands toward a smaller innovative-medicines franchise, and has an oral meloxicam under FDA review with a December 27 decision date. Generic erosion of EXPAREL is expected to begin in early 2030 under earlier patent settlements. Close is expected by the end of 2026. (Link)
  4. BDT & MSD Partners has agreed to acquire a majority stake in Sunrise Senior Living from the Public Sector Pension Investment Board (PSP Investments) in a deal reportedly valuing the operator above $1 billion, with Sunrise management owning the balance. Funds affiliated with BDT & MSD Partners signed a definitive agreement to buy Sunrise Senior Living from Canada’s PSP Investments, which first invested in 2014 and became sole owner in 2023. CEO Jack Callison Jr. and senior executives will invest significant personal capital alongside BDT & MSD’s majority position. Press reports cite a valuation above $1 billion. Sunrise operates more than 230 communities in North America, serving over 22,000 residents and has a pipeline of 50-plus communities with expected development costs of about $7.5 billion. (Link)
  5. Healthcare Services Group (NASD: HCSG) has acquired Mansfield, Massachusetts-based dining and hospitality manager NEXDINE Hospitality for $93.5 million upfront plus a performance-based earnout. Healthcare Services Group (HCSG), the Bensalem, Pennsylvania-based provider of housekeeping, laundry and dining services to healthcare facilities, acquired privately held NEXDINE Hospitality, announced on October 7, 2026, paying $93.5 million upfront in cash on hand, with additional consideration if NEXDINE meets certain performance targets. NEXDINE, a dining and hospitality service management company with a strong senior living presence, is expected to contribute more than $150 million of annual revenue, implying an upfront price of about 0.6x sales. It will operate as a wholly owned subsidiary under its own brand, led by founder and CEO David Lanci. HCSG framed the deal as an expansion into senior living and hospitality-driven care markets. (Link)
  6. Tiffin, Ohio-based Surgence Innovations has secured a $15 million investment from private funds advised by Ohio investor The O.H.I.O. Fund, spinning out as an independent company from Ohio distributor Concordance Healthcare Solutions. Surgence, a healthcare supply chain platform built on the Palantir (NASD: PLTR) Foundry operating system, announced the $15 million on October 6, 2026, with the capital establishing it as an independent corporation. It was incubated under Tiffin, Ohio-based Concordance Healthcare Solutions, an independent distributor with 15 distribution centers licensed in 48 states, which keeps a significant ownership stake and remains a strategic and commercial partner. The O.H.I.O. Fund invests exclusively alongside businesses that call Ohio home; partner Mike Venerable framed the deal as long-term capital supporting Ohio’s healthcare leadership. Proceeds will fund product development, customer growth, hiring and innovation across the healthcare supply chain. (Link)
  7. Standard BioTools (NASDAQ: LAB) has agreed to sell its Microfluidics business to ARCHIMED. The unit being carved out makes integrated fluidic circuits, small chips that run hundreds to thousands of reactions from a single sample. Research labs use them for genotyping, gene-expression work and library preparation ahead of next-generation sequencing. The technology came in through Fluidigm, the predecessor company, and has been cited in thousands of genomics papers. The buyer is a healthcare-only private equity firm founded in 2014 and based in Lyon, France. It invests in life-science tools, diagnostics and medtech on both sides of the Atlantic, and is taking the unit as a standalone business rather than folding it into an operating company. The Boston seller has been pruning a portfolio assembled through earlier combinations. Closing is expected in about 30 days. No price was given. (Link)
  8. Spectrum Equity has made a strategic growth investment in healthcare supply chain data provider Symmetric Health Solutions, the company’s first institutional capital. Spectrum Equity, a growth equity firm founded in 1994 that focuses on AI, software and data businesses, backed Symmetric in a deal announced on October 6, 2026; the size was not disclosed. Founded in 2018 by former Accenture supply chain consultants and Carnegie Mellon alumni, Symmetric reached profitability without outside capital and maintains a database of nearly 20 million healthcare items, each with up to 1,800 metadata attributes, used by more than 850 hospitals. Managing Director Michael Radonich said the company has become the system of record for supply data at several of the largest U.S. health systems. Proceeds fund go-to-market, customer success and new products, including a supply chain control tower. (Link)
  9. FFL Partners has made a growth investment in Nashville-based Ally Technical, the healthcare technology management company formerly known as Althea US. FFL Partners backed Ally Technical alongside the company’s rebrand, in a deal announced on October 6, 2026 with undisclosed terms. Ally Technical provides service, parts, board-level and depot repair, technical support and training for medical equipment from major manufacturers, built on deep expertise in contrast injectors, and supports a large installed base of aging devices across the U.S. FFL partner Karen Winterhof said providers are increasingly turning to independent service organizations for cost-efficient maintenance and parts. The investment came out of FFL’s SEED sector-exploration strategy, and the partners plan organic growth plus M&A, including expansion into new device modalities and under-penetrated markets. CEO Dan Siler continues to lead. (Link)
  10. Harbor Health has agreed to acquire 27 Village Medical clinics in the Houston area. The sites are primary-care offices spread across Harris, Montgomery, Fort Bend and Brazoria counties. They had been run as part of a larger clinic network. The buyer is a Texas primary-care and insurance company that already pairs offices with its own plans in Austin, Dallas, San Antonio and El Paso. This is the fifth market on that model. It bought 32 clinics from the same seller in those other cities in 2025. Plans carry no deductible, and referred specialty care is covered at no cost when one of its clinicians makes the referral. Individual and family enrollment for the new market opens November 1, with coverage effective January 1. No price was disclosed, and the release does not break out patient volume or revenue for the sites. (Link)
  11. Bambu Capital-owned Lemonaid Health has acquired the fitness and longevity business of Dr. B, the telehealth company founded by Zocdoc founder Cyrus Massoumi. Lemonaid Health, the digital pharmacy and telehealth platform owned by Bambu Capital, bought Dr. B’s fitness and longevity business on October 5, 2026, including its national fitness-brand partnerships and longevity membership base; terms were not disclosed. Dr. B built an early scaled gym-as-clinic model in which members can use pre-tax HSA/FSA dollars for gym memberships through letters of medical necessity. The deal gives Lemonaid a gym partner network reaching more than 5 million members and a metabolic-health patient base. Bambu Managing Partner Dylan Runne said it fits the thesis behind Bambu’s Lemonaid purchase: pairing a licensed clinical and pharmacy engine with partners that own the customer relationship. (Link)
  12. Varsity Healthcare Partners-backed United Aesthetics Alliance has acquired St. Louis-based Parkcrest Plastic Surgery and the Aesthetics Center. United Aesthetics Alliance, a physician practice management holding company sponsored by lower middle-market healthcare private equity firm Varsity Healthcare Partners since 2023, completed the acquisition, reported on October 7, 2026; terms were not disclosed. Founded in 2001, Parkcrest provides plastic surgery and medical spa services and is led by co-founding board-certified plastic surgeons Dr. David Caplin and Dr. Patricia McGuire. The deal is the platform’s first acquisition of 2026 and establishes its footprint in Missouri, in line with its strategy of consolidating market-leading plastic surgery practices and affiliated medical aesthetic providers. Parkcrest will keep operating from its current St. Louis location under its existing brand. (Link)
  13. GreyLion Capital-backed Trifecta Collective has acquired the Medical Spa Show from the American Med Spa Association (AmSpa) and entered a long-term partnership with the association. Trifecta Collective, a multi-sector trade show organizer founded in 2021 by industry veteran Rick McConnell and supported by financial partner GreyLion Capital, announced the acquisition on October 6, 2026; terms were not disclosed. Launched by AmSpa in 2018, the Medical Spa Show has drawn nearly 10,000 attendees from more than 5,200 practices and hosted over 750 exhibiting brands; its 10th edition at Wynn Las Vegas in April 2027 is expected to attract more than 3,500 medical aesthetics professionals. McConnell called medical aesthetics one of the fastest-growing segments in healthcare and wellness. AmSpa stays involved under the partnership, and the current show team remains. (Link)
  14. 1 Natural Way, based in Maumee, Ohio, has acquired New England Surgical. The buyer was started in 2014 by Ryan Wright to ship insurance-covered breast pumps and related maternal products. It now works with major carriers in all 50 states, carries pumps from more than a dozen manufacturers, and runs an in-house program with certified lactation consultants. The target, in Fall River, Massachusetts, has sold medical supplies and home equipment across Massachusetts and Rhode Island for more than four decades. What is being bought is the regional payor contracts, not a new product line. Those contracts cover insured patients the Ohio company could not previously bill. The buyer said the add-on widens the set of mothers it can serve at little or no out-of-pocket cost. No price was disclosed. (Link)
  15. RiverGlade Capital has formed Sentinel Care Group, a healthcare franchise platform led by former Right at Home CEO Brian Petranick. Chicago-based RiverGlade Capital, a private equity firm founded in 2017 that makes control and select minority investments in lower middle-market healthcare companies, launched Sentinel Care Group on October 8, 2026. According to PE Hub, the platform will acquire and partner with existing businesses and emerging franchisors, and develop new franchise concepts from scratch. Petranick spent more than two decades at Right at Home, helping grow it from a single Omaha location into an international in-home care franchise with more than 650 territories, and served as president and CEO until 2022. RiverGlade’s franchise experience includes home care franchisor Home Helpers Home Care, acquired in 2021. Capital commitments were not disclosed. (Link)
  16. Emergence, the permanent-capital enterprise backed by The Pritzker Organization, has acquired Charlotte, North Carolina-based patient-reported outcomes software company Clinect Healthcare. Emergence, which provides long-term capital and operating support to software and technology-enabled businesses rather than following a hold-and-exit model, announced the acquisition of Clinect Healthcare on October 8, 2026; terms were not disclosed. Founded in 2012 by CEO Brian Schmitz, Clinect runs an Outcomes Intelligence Platform combining digital intake, patient-reported outcomes, patient experience and reputation management tools, with more than 600 validated outcome measures integrated into practice management and EHR systems. Emergence Operating Partner David Henriksen cited the opportunity as payers demand proof of care results. The deal adds to Emergence’s healthcare software roster after its November 2025 purchase of MedEvolve, and funds data science, AI and interoperability investment. (Link)
  17. Sienna Senior Living (TSX: SIA) has agreed to acquire Brighton Retirement & Active Living, a 165-suite seniors’ residence in Brighton, Ontario, for approximately C$73.8 million. Sienna Senior Living (SIA), the Markham, Ontario-based seniors’ housing owner and operator, signed an agreement on October 8, 2026 to buy Brighton Retirement & Active Living, about 150 km east of Toronto, for a gross price of roughly C$73.8 million, or C$447,000 per suite. Terms add C$1.5 million of income support for the lease-up of the seniors’ apartments and commercial units, plus a C$5.0 million earnout tied to financial targets. The property has 124 retirement suites opened in 2024 and about 95% occupied, 41 seniors’ apartments opened in 2025 and five commercial units. Sienna is funding the deal from cash and credit facilities, with closing expected in Q4 2026. (Link)
  18. Grovecourt Capital-backed Guide Architecture has acquired medical equipment planning firm MAIA as an add-on to its Dallas-based healthcare design platform. West Palm Beach, Florida-based Grovecourt Capital, a lower middle-market investor in founder-led business services and healthcare services companies, added MAIA to portfolio company Guide Architecture in a deal reported on October 8, 2026; terms were not disclosed. MAIA is a 25-person healthcare consulting firm providing medical equipment planning, procurement support, BIM and Revit services, inventory assessment and implementation support. Guide, founded in Dallas in 2014, plans and designs hospitals, outpatient centers, behavioral health facilities and medical office buildings for health systems nationwide. Grovecourt invested in Guide in April 2026, with existing leadership remaining significant owners, and set out a strategy of acquisitions that deepen healthcare expertise and client relationships. (Link)
  19. Oak Hill Capital-backed Petauri has acquired health economics and market access consultancy Franklin Pharmaceutical Consulting. Nashville-based Petauri, the life sciences commercialization platform Oak Hill Capital founded with CEO Dan Renick, announced the acquisition of Franklin Pharmaceutical Consulting (FPC) on October 8, 2026; terms were not disclosed. Oak Hill is committing more than $250 million of equity to Petauri from its latest fund, OHCP VI, and the platform has previously bought The Kinetix Group, the FORCE Communications agencies, Mtech Access, Delta Hat, the Brightly Network agencies, Formulary Insights and Artia Solutions. FPC provides health economics and outcomes research, real-world evidence strategy, payer value communications and dossiers. It folds into Petauri Evidence, with founder Meg Franklin becoming President of Petauri Evidence US. (Link)
  20. Lee Equity Partners-backed Marwood Group has acquired Ronan Healthcare Compliance, expanding its compliance advisory capabilities. New York-based Marwood Group, a healthcare advisory and consulting firm that recently took a strategic investment from Lee Equity Partners, acquired Ronan Healthcare Compliance in a deal announced October 12, 2026. Ronan, founded by Ross and Susan Ronan, provides outsourced compliance officer services, risk assessments, buy-side and sell-side diligence, and program development to more than 60 healthcare organizations across 21 specialties. The full Ronan team joins Marwood, with Ross Ronan becoming Managing Director and Head of Compliance Services. Terms were not disclosed. Bailey & Co advised Ronan. (Link)

Venture Deals and Other

  1. Andreessen Horowitz has led a $120 million Series B in San Francisco-based General Medicine, joined by Matrix, VXI Capital, Eli Lilly (NYSE: LLY), BoxGroup and Ohio-based Mercy Health through Granger Management. a16z General Partner Vineeta Agarwala led the round, announced on October 6, 2026, which lifts General Medicine’s total funding to $152 million. Eli Lilly (LLY) and Cincinnati, Ohio-based Mercy Health, investing through Granger Management, join as strategic backers alongside Matrix, VXI Capital and BoxGroup. Founded in 2023 and launched nationwide in May 2025, General Medicine runs a healthcare store listing more than 2,900 medications, labs, telehealth visits, specialist e-consults and procedures with upfront insurance and cash prices. It has signed up hundreds of thousands of customers with an average NPS of 80. Former Matrix General Partner TJ Parker became full-time CEO in October. Proceeds expand the store into new care categories. (Link)
  2. Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong’s NantWorks has led a $75 million Series B in San Francisco-based Multiply Labs, joined by AstraZeneca (NASD: AZN), Lingotto, Teradyne (NASD: TER), Strange Ventures, Casdin Capital, Lux Capital, Fifty Years, Ora Global and Founders Fund. NantWorks led the round, announced on October 6, 2026, which takes Multiply Labs’ total funding above $100 million since its 2016 founding; valuation was not disclosed. New investors AstraZeneca (AZN), Lingotto, Teradyne (TER) and Strange Ventures joined returning backers Casdin Capital, Lux Capital, Fifty Years, Ora Global and Founders Fund. AstraZeneca is also a customer, underscoring the strategic weight of the cap table. Multiply Labs builds robotic clusters that automate manual steps in biologics manufacturing, initially for cell and gene therapies and now antibodies, viral vectors and mRNA, with systems owned and run in-house by drugmakers. Proceeds fund manufacturing capacity, product development and engineering, regulatory and commercial hiring. (Link)
  3. Sequoia Capital, First Round Capital and Hummingbird Ventures have backed clinical AI company Healthleap in $38 million of combined seed and Series A funding. Healthleap disclosed the $38 million on October 8, 2026, with Sequoia partner Alfred Lin and First Round co-founder Josh Kopelman both endorsing the investment. Founded in 2022 by siblings Josiah and Jemima Meyer, the company continuously analyzes patient records, including notes, labs, vitals and orders, to flag undiagnosed conditions and push risk scores into EHR workflows. It started with disease-related malnutrition, which costs the U.S. system up to $58 billion annually; one Penn Medicine hospital attributed $23.8 million a year in reimbursement and length-of-stay benefits to the platform. Proceeds fund expansion to more than 40 conditions and hiring to reach hundreds of hospitals. (Link)
  4. The Florida Opportunity Fund and Tampa General Hospital’s TGH Ventures have co-led a $35 million growth equity investment in Spark Pediatrics, with Town Hall Ventures, UPMC Enterprises and Memorial Hermann participating. Spark Pediatrics, which operates Prescribed Pediatric Extended Care centers for children with medical complexities, including a Clearwater, Florida location, announced the $35 million equity investment on October 9, 2026. The Florida Opportunity Fund and TGH Ventures led, with continued participation from existing investor Town Hall Ventures and all of Spark’s existing strategic partners, including UPMC Enterprises and Memorial Hermann. The health system backers give Spark strategic relationships across Florida, Pennsylvania and Texas. Proceeds will support Spark’s leading presence in Florida, growth in Texas and expansion into Pennsylvania, Louisiana and other new states. Valuation and round designation were not disclosed. (Link)
  5. Oak HC/FT has led a $31 million Series A in San Francisco-based Vitalize, joined by Norwest, .406 Ventures, Constellation Ventures, Y Combinator, Rock Health Capital and MemorialCare Innovation Fund. Oak HC/FT partner Vig Chandramouli led the round, announced on October 6, 2026, with health system venture arm MemorialCare Innovation Fund participating as a strategic investor. Vitalize sells an AI-native platform that automates scheduling and forecasts demand to coordinate staffing and bed capacity across health systems, integrating with EMR and time-and-payroll systems. It manages millions of shifts a week across dozens of enterprise health systems; St. Luke’s Health reported a 54% cut in premium labor spend within 12 weeks. Oak HC/FT, with more than $7 billion under management, views hospital labor, a nearly $1 trillion cost line, as an underpenetrated software market. Proceeds fund growth, deployment and throughput AI. (Link)
  6. Maveron has led a $25 million Series A in New York-based oral care membership company Wally, joined by Bling Capital and angel investors including Hims & Hers Health (NYSE: HIMS) co-founder Jack Abraham. Maveron partner Jason Stoffer backed Wally’s model of replacing insurance-driven dentistry with a $249 annual membership covering unlimited cleanings, AI-supported diagnostics, exams and whitening; the round was announced on October 7, 2026. Bling Capital and angels including Jack Abraham participated. Wally has passed 50,000 members who visit three times a year, reports a 97% hygienist retention rate and operates 15 locations in co-working spaces across New York City, Philadelphia, Jersey City and Chicago. It also announced a strategic partnership with EMS Dental. Proceeds fund expansion from 15 to 100 locations by end-2027, including Washington DC, Atlanta, Austin and Miami. (Link)
  7. F-Prime has led a $20 million Series A in Allentown, Pennsylvania-based AblePay Health, with participation from A1 Health Ventures and .406 Ventures. F-Prime principal Nikhil Marathe led the round, announced on October 7, 2026, as AblePay enters its second decade. Chicago-based A1 Health Ventures, whose limited partners are health systems operating more than 110 hospitals, and Boston’s .406 Ventures, with over $1.3 billion under management, joined. Founded in 2016, AblePay integrates with providers to guarantee non-recourse payment on an accelerated timeline while offering enrolled patients flexible payment options, savings on out-of-pocket costs and free billing advocacy. The company cites $591 billion of U.S. out-of-pocket healthcare spending in 2025, up 6%. Proceeds will expand its reach to more health systems and deepen its technology platform. (Link)
  8. Norrsken VC has led a $20 million Series A in Paris- and New York-based AI medical receptionist company Vocca, joined by Heal Capital, Speedinvest and firstminute capital. The round, announced on October 6, 2026, lifts Vocca’s total funding to $25 million about a year after its previous raise; valuation was not disclosed. Founded in July 2024 by Eliott Hoffenberg and Hugo Danet, Vocca builds specialty-specific AI agents that answer patient calls, book and reschedule appointments and handle routine requests for medical practices. It has grown from 2,000 to 15,000 practitioners in a year across the U.S. and Europe and now handles more than one million patient conversations a month. Proceeds will deepen its U.S. presence through its New York office, add specialties and channels beyond voice, and fund about 40 hires. (Link)
  9. NFX has led a $7 million seed round in Altro Health, with Founder Collective and Primetime Partners’ Abby Miller Levy participating. NFX general partner James Currier said the firm backed Altro, formerly Lyv Health, for its position in a large new consumer category with no clear leader; the round was announced on October 6, 2026. Altro operates a Shopify-style platform that lets personal trainers, gyms and medspas offer clinician-prescribed peptides, GLP-1s, hormone therapy and lab testing under their own brands, with a board-certified clinical team supervising each service and products sourced from licensed 503A and 503B pharmacies. More than 500 businesses already use the platform, with plans starting at $319 a month. Proceeds fund product development, hiring, and sales and marketing. (Link)
  10. Listen Ventures, Cake Ventures, LAUNCH, Actions Capital, Hannah Grey VC, SemperVirens, Brock Recovery Group and Pave Health Ventures have backed New York-based deprescribing platform Outro in $7 million of pre-seed and seed funding. Outro disclosed the $7 million across pre-seed and seed rounds on October 8, 2026, with participation from Listen Ventures, Cake Ventures, Jason Calacanis’ LAUNCH, Actions Capital, Hannah Grey VC, SemperVirens, Brock Recovery Group and Pave Health Ventures, among others. Co-founded by CEO Brandon Goode and psychiatric deprescribing researcher Dr. Mark Horowitz, Outro runs a virtual clinic that helps patients taper off antidepressants through personalized plans, monitoring and clinician support, and is available in 14 states. It cites roughly 50 million Americans taking antidepressants. Proceeds expand the clinician network, apply AI to tapering workflows and extend the model into other medication classes. (Link)

Market Rumors / IPO

  1. Solventum (NYSE: SOLV) is seeking bids for its Health Information Systems unit, pitched at a $5.5 billion to $7 billion valuation. Solventum, the medical products and technology company spun out of 3M, is collecting initial bids for its Health Information Systems division, according to reports on October 12, 2026. The unit provides hospitals and health systems with medical coding, billing, documentation and revenue cycle management software and generated about $1.4 billion of sales last year. Solventum announced plans to separate the business in August 2026 as it focuses on medsurg and dental. Shares slipped after the report. No buyer has been named, and a sale or spin remains possible. (Link)
  2. Bambusa Therapeutics has filed a Form S-1 for a proposed Nasdaq IPO under the symbol B BTX.Bambusa was incorporated in Boston in March 2024. It is a clinical-stage company working on long-acting bispecific antibodies for immunology and inflammation. BBT001 targets IL-4Rα and IL-31 for atopic dermatitis and chronic spontaneous urticaria. BBT002 targets IL-4Rα and IL-5 for COPD, nasal polyps and asthma. Two earlier programs are still preclinical. Private investors including RA Capital, BVF Partners, ATHOS and Dawn Biopharma have put in about $136 million. Cash was $71.5 million at June 30. The filing does not set a share count or a price. Named underwriters include BofA Securities, Evercore, UBS and Cantor. (Link)

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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.