South Korea’s government continued to ramp up investment in its pharmaceutical and med-tech sector in 2025, including a 7.2% hike for the Ministry of Health and Welfare’s budget and a near 15% increase in funding to research and develop innovative biotechnologies.

With more than 60 acquisitions completed in the last decade, Stryker Corp. shows little fear in committing to offers that allow it to obtain the companies and technologies that have driven its impressive growth in stock price – up from $92 in Jan. 2015 to $356.70 in Jan. 2025. Still, the definitive agreement to buy Inari Medical Inc. for $4.9 billion comes in at the upper range, along with the $4 billion acquisition of Wright Medical Group NV in 2020 ($5.4 billion with debt included), $3 billion for Vocera Communications in 2022, and $2.8 billion for Sage Products in 2016.

Medtronic plc received CE mark approval for its Harmony transcatheter pulmonary valve system to treat congenital heart disease patients with native or surgically repaired right ventricular outflow tract pulmonary regurgitation.