RPT-UPDATE 1-Late M&A bonanza stokes healthcare dealmakers ahead of JPMorgan conference

Healthcare dealmakers are making their way to San Francisco for a major industry conference, optimistic that more deals are in the offing after a wave of biotech company takeovers at the end of last year. The four-day JPMorgan Healthcare Conference beginning on Monday is expected by organizers to attract over 8,000 people, including delegations from the world’s largest drugmakers, a signal of a return to business as usual after fewer participants were invited last year over COVID-19 concerns. Last month alone, drugmakers including AbbVie, Bristol Myers Squibb and AstraZeneca announced roughly $25 billion worth of U.S.-listed biotech deals, according to data provider LSEG Deals Intelligence.