Of deals by the top companies in the sector, 140 were at the preclinical development stage, with an average of $22.9m invested, followed by 39 investments at phase I, 34 at phase II and 13 at phase III, although the average amounts invested increased by stage.

UK-based medical foundation Wellcome Trust, and US peer Michael J Fox Foundation, along with Dutch state-backed Agentschap, provided the money to help Sapiens develop its technology for treating Parkinson's disease and other brain disorders.

Maneesh Goyal is general partner of the fund after leaving venture capital firm Miramar Venture Partners, where he led investments in healthcare IT for five years.

In October, Life bought a 26% stake in Max for R5.16bn ($104m) and could add another 24% if the operating performance continues to improve, Max Healthcare CEO Ajay Bakshi told news providerEconomic Times.

Singapore government-backed fund EDBI led the round to help Sotera expand into Asia, which included participation from new investor Cerner Capital, a corporate venturing unit of the eponymous medical software company.

Although Intel Capital has invested in the continent for 11 years, the deal is the corporate venturing unit's first Latin American healthcare information technology (IT) investment.

The money will be used to fund commercialization of TruRisk, Aviir's proprietary cardiac risk assessment technology, and additional molecular testing services provided through Aviir Heart Laboratories.

Davis joined J&J in 1984 after working for healthcare peers and since January 2008 was responsible for the management and efforts of both JJDC and the internal Johnson & Johnson ventures group, Redscript Ventures.

Takeda will pay an initial $190m with a further $120m depending on the performance of its potential drugs targeting cancers that has begun making progress with the regulators.

The $313m fund, launched by financial services company Burrill & Company, will focus on life sciences businesses.