Pharma industry reports 97 deals worth $25.45 billion in October 2026
M&A deal value declined by 55.8 per cent, while venture capital funding decreased by 34.3 per cent compared with October 2025
According to GlobalData, industry reported 97 deals worth $25.45 billion in October 2026, compared with the average of 92 deals worth $29.7 billion over the last 12 months (October 2025 to September 2026).
Deal value decreased by 55.8 per cent in October 2026, compared with October 2025.
Among the major transactions reported during the month, Crown NL Bidco B.V. announced its acquisition of Qiagen NV, a life-science and diagnostics company that helps laboratories turn biological samples into clear test results and research insights, through an all-cash voluntary public takeover offer worth $12.1 billion. Shionogi & Co., Ltd. announced the acquisition of IntraBio Inc., a biopharmaceutical company developing and commercialising therapies for neurodegenerative diseases, for a total transaction value of $2 billion. Viatris Inc, a global healthcare company, announced the acquisition of Pacira BioSciences Inc, a pharmaceutical company that offers non-opioid pain management and regenerative health solutions, for an equity value of $1.65 billion. These were the three major deals reported in October 2026.
Venture capital funding decreased by 34.3 per cent in October 2026, compared with October 2025.
The healthcare industry reported 93 venture capital (VC) deals worth $3.41 billion in October 2026, compared with the average of 115 deals worth $3.5 billion over the last 12 months (October 2025 to September 2026).
Among the major VC transactions reported during the month, Dren Bio Inc., a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing first-in-class antibody therapeutics, raised $350 million in a financing round to support continued late-stage clinical development, regulatory submission and planned commercial launch of dibotatug (DR-01). OMass Therapeutics Limited, a biotechnology company developing small molecule therapeutics, raised $310 million in a Series C financing round to support the advancement of the Company’s lead programme, OMS1620. Matchpoint Therapeutics Inc, a biotechnology company, raised $150 million in Series B financing to advance its pipeline of first-in-class oral small molecules for autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. These were the three major VC deals reported in October 2026.