Once Sluggish Sleep Apnea Gets Active

The past year was a busy one in the sleep apnea sector of the respiratory market. All three major segments of the sleep apnea market--sleep testing equipment, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) devices, and therapeutic implants--were represented by the year's deals, which include four acquisitions and two venture financings, and we're not even counting the $4.9 billion acquisition of Respironics by Philips, which was announced at the tail end of 2007.