2015: Blockbuster Year for M&A in Asia

The healthcare landscape in Asia-Pacific is expected to continue grow strongly in 2015, according to a report by Frost & Sullivan.   The private primary healthcare services market in Singapore is expected to exceed US$3 billion by 2020 and provides opportunities across the healthcare value chain.    According to the study, the other major trends impacting the healthcare sector in the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEA) in 2015 will be:    Regulatory harmonization  Health technology assessments in South East Asian countries will be implemented and will have an impact on the pricing and availability of newer healthcare products.    Stronger regulatory crackdown  With the market being more open and ease of securing healthcare products commercially, there is also expected to be a greater regulatory focus on policies and practices linked to protecting the consumers.    Microsegmentation strategies  The growing middle class and the varying levels of healthcare needs and affordability will lead to tiered services offerings under the same umbrella hospital group to cater to different customer segments with varying levels of affordability.    Pharmacies One of the biggest developments in the healthcare scene in Asia, say Frost & Sullivan, will be the evolution of pharmacies as a channel for diagnostics, compliance and treatment.    Telecoms Telecommunication companies are one of the potential platform partners who can address this need by leveraging brand name and existing services to become an ideal home health integrator, bringing healthcare monitoring to the home. One of the largest transformations will be the merger of healthcare and technology, be it home healthcare, home monitoring or wearable devices. This has happened in countries such as the US and South Korea and is expected it will take off in countries like Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia next.    A blockbuster year for M&A 2015 is expected to see even more mergers and acquisitions in the healthcare space, with deals to eclipse the transaction values of 2014. Biotech companies will be more bullish in terms of product research and development. Additionally, there is likely to be more Asia-focused mergers and acquisitions, leading to healthcare companies that that can become big brands in Asia and ultimately globally.    For more information, visit ?? or contact Anna Zanchi at anna.zanchi@frost.com