Med-tech M&A activity rebounded in April, reaching $1.4 billion, a sharp increase from March’s $22.63 million, though still down from nearly $5 billion in January and $6 billion in February.

News of the sale of Masimo Corp.’s consumer audio unit may be music to the ears of investors, even at the steep discount from its original purchase price. Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.’s Harman International Industries Inc. unit snapped up the Sound United business for about $350 million – roughly one-third of the $1.025 billion Masimo paid for the company in 2022.

In the first quarter of 2025, the med-tech sector saw a total of $149.08 million raised through 475 deals. This marked a significant decline from the $519.14 million raised in Q4 2024, representing the smallest quarterly total recorded by BioWorld MedTech since 2018.

April data and first quarter earnings reports show remarkable resilience in med tech, even as other sectors continue to suffer in response to tariffs and changing regulations. Not that tariffs proved insignificant: several companies reported annualized impacts north of half a billion dollars, but fundamentals and increased interest in med tech as a haven gave most players sufficient breathing room to absorb the impact with minimal adjustments.

Med tech companies were reminded that there are opportunities in emerging and growing markets as they look for ways to adapt to the uncertainties created by the U.S. administration threats of import tariffs. With large populations, and relatively untapped markets, these opportunities represent new destinations for the med tech products. However, the U.S. cannot easily be replaced and there will be challenges in these markets, delegates heard at the LSX World Congress, in London.

Partnership agreements between startups and strategics need to be based on terms that are fair otherwise they will be rejected.

The U.S. Department of Justice recently announced the formation of a task force that will advocate the roll-back of regulations that affect a wide swath of sectors of the American economy. Health care is one of the areas of interest for the task force, which will examine state as well as federal regulations.

Radnet Inc. expanded its commitment to the use of AI in improving diagnosis of breast cancer with an all-stock purchase of Icad Inc. for approximately $103 million. The transaction is expected to close in the second or third quarter of 2025.

GE Healthcare Technologies Inc. gained full ownership of Nihon Medi-Physics Co. Ltd. after acquiring the remaining 50% stake from Sumitomo Chemical Co. Ltd. on March 31.

Alcon AG plans to acquire Lensar Inc. for up to $430 million in a transaction expected to close in the latter half of the year. The acquisition will add Lensar’s Ally robotic cataract laser treatment system, Streamline software technology and Lensar legacy laser system to Alcon’s cataract surgery portfolio and expand global access to Lensar’s femtosecond laser technology.