New Delhi, Jan 8 (NationPress) - In 2025, global healthcare private equity (PE) achieved an unprecedented milestone with a staggering $191 billion in deal value, eclipsing the former high of 2021, according to a report released on Thursday.

The remarkable increase in deal value was driven by a significant rise in transactions exceeding $1 billion, which counteracted the slowdowns caused by tariffs in the second quarter across North America and Asia-Pacific, as stated in the Bain & Company report.

Deal volume remained strong, with investors announcing 445 buyouts, marking the second-highest total ever recorded. The exit value also surged to an anticipated $156 billion, the second highest in history, increasing from $54 billion in 2024, as sponsor-to-sponsor deals recovered from the lows seen post-pandemic.

“Healthcare private equity yielded an exceptional performance last year, evidenced by large deals and an increase in deal count across all levels, predominantly led by the biopharma and provider sectors, buoyed by healthcare IT activities,” explained Kara Murphy, partner at Bain & Company and co-leader of the Healthcare Private Equity team.

“A robust rebound in exit value from recent lows indicates a revival in exit activities as sponsors initiate sale processes for highly valued assets. With substantial dry powder and an expanding pool of sponsor-owned assets nearing the conclusion of their fund lives, we anticipate a dynamic 2026,” Murphy added.

In 2025, the deal value in Asia-Pacific reached a record high, surpassing the 2021 peak by over 30 percent, despite experiencing a slowdown in the second quarter.

While the biopharma and provider segments predominantly drive the healthcare PE market in the region, sectors like medtech and healthcare IT also showed growth. Notable advancements were seen in Japan, India, and Australia and New Zealand throughout 2024, while Greater China more than doubled its performance from 2024 in both volume and value, even though overall activity remains below recent historical peaks.

Biopharma deal value surged to an estimated $80 billion in 2025, up from $55 billion in 2024, with volume expected to rise almost 20 percent to over 130 deals. Investor interest in this sector persisted, accounting for approximately 30 percent of total deal volume and at least 22 percent of deal value annually since 2020.

“Our outlook for healthcare private equity this year is optimistic, especially as investor confidence in market fundamentals remains robust despite challenges faced last spring,” stated Nirad Jain, partner at Bain & Company and co-leader of the Healthcare Private Equity team.