While the window for initial public offerings (IPOs) in the biotech arena seems a bit narrow this year, it would appear fairly wide open for the medical device and general med-tech fields.

As 2005 heads toward the half-way mark, Medical Device Daily thus far has reported on about 15 IPOs in the device sector (most of them priced and completed, some proposed) and more than a half-dozen others in med-tech-related fields (information tech, drug discovery systems and pharmaceutical patches or drug/devices – the latter, most notably Angiotech Pharmaceuticals [Vancouver, British Columbia]).

Year 2003 was remarkable for featuring a total of zero IPOs in the device sector – and representing a slump from the total of just four in 2002 – but bouncing back in 2004 with about two dozen such offerings, totaling about $2.4 billion (MDD, Jan. 6, 2005).

At the current pace, device IPOs could reach, all told, about 30 and fall within the $4 billion to $5 billion range – making, of course, the very large assumption that the current pace continues.

MDD will provide updates on device IPOs in the device and med-tech sectors in its early July and end-of-year issues.

— Don Long, Managing Editor