In every type of financing, from IPOs and follow-on public offerings to private placements and venture capital rounds, the med-tech industry produced more money and completed more financings in 2018 than the prior year, reflecting the same significant jump in activity seen with its biopharma counterpart. What is different, however, is that med tech experienced a 38.43 percent increase in amount raised year-over-year, whereas biopharma showed a 29.64 percent increase.

New Brunswick, N.J.-based Johnson & Johnson (J&J) executives expressed enthusiasm with Q4 and full-year 2018 results Tuesday, even as pricing pressure continued to affect orthopedics. While the company reported its 2019 full-year guidance for sales of $80.4 billion to $81.2 billion, Cowen analyst Joshua Jennings noted that the consensus estimate had been $82.57 billion. Still, he saw progress with medical devices, along with the company's other business segments. "These sales trends, along with what we view as conservative 2019 guidance ranges, should be enough to support shares," he wrote.