Derived from Strategic Transactions, Informa’s premium source for tracking life sciences deal activity, the Dealmaking column is a survey of recent health care transactions listed by relevant industry segment – In Vitro Diagnostics, Medical Devices, and Pharmaceuticals – and then categorized by type – Acquisition, Alliance, or Financing. This month’s column covers deals announced in December 2016.

Busy stretch before Christmas holidays sees two deals around oncolytic virus therapeutics, a Middle East partnership for Orexigen’s Contrave, immuno-oncology deals involving Pfizer and ElsaLys, and Roche and ImmuNext partnering to develop drugs targeting the VISTA pathway.

Belgium’s Cardio3 BioSciences aims to apply its experience in developing cell therapies, principally a stem cell therapy for heart failure that is in Phase III trials, to other therapeutic areas, reducing its exposure to the risks of a single success or failure event.

Shares in AnGes MG spiked in Tokyo after the Japanese bioventure announced its US subsidiary had received final institutional review board (IRB) approval for a planned pilot trial with the firm's lead therapeutic candidate.