PwC's Next in Health
Hosted by Glenn Hunzinger, US Health Industries Leader, the Next in Health podcast series offers insights on the most important issues facing pharma, medtech, and healthcare. PwC business leaders discuss the latest trends and their impact on health industries, whether it is policy, AI, innovation, care delivery, business model reinvention, or bold moves shaping the future. If it is happening in health industries, we are talking about it.
PwC's Next in Health
Deals Outlook 2026: What’s ahead for pharma and life sciences
Tune in as Glenn Hunzinger and Roel van den Akker share their outlook for pharmaceutical and life sciences dealmaking in 2026. They discuss improving market conditions, innovation driven growth, and how upcoming loss of exclusivity is shaping deal strategy.
Discussion highlights:
- Strong innovation, healthy balance sheets, and improving capital markets support a positive outlook for 2026
- M&A is expected to remain precision-led and asset-focused, centered on differentiated science and key therapeutic areas
- Accelerating loss of exclusivity (2026–2029) is increasing reliance on external innovation
- Mid-sized deals have dominated, but clearer policy and better financing may enable larger strategic transactions
- As innovation globalizes, companies are sourcing assets more deliberately worldwide, with the US remaining a core life sciences hub
Speakers:
Glenn Hunzinger, US Health Industries Leader, PwC
Roel van den Akker, US Pharmaceutical & Life Sciences Deals Leader, PwC
Linked Materials:
- https://www.pwc.com/us/en/industries/health-industries/library/pharma-life-sciences-deals-outlook.html
- https://www.pwc.com/us/en/industries/health-industries/library/medtech-deals-outlook.html
- https://www.pwc.com/us/en/industries/health-industries/library/health-services-deals-outlook.html
For more information, please visit us at: https://www.pwc.com/us/en/industries/health-industries/health-research-institute/next-in-health-podcast.html.