JPM 2014: Opening Remarks – Doug Braunstein, Vice Chairman

There was a general atmosphere of cautious optimism at 32^nd Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference, in San Francisco, this year.  In his opening remarks, Doug Braunstein, Vice Chairman of JP Morgan Chase & Co., welcomed 432 companies presenting at the conference plus over 9,200 attendees.  This year, the presenting companies included 100 not for profit companies and 38 companies from emerging markets.  Braunstein remarked that while life expectancy in the US has not improved significantly, US spends considerably more on healthcare than majority of the other nations.  Increasing pressure to contain costs in healthcare represents both a major challenge for healthcare professionals, as well as a big opportunity, said Braunstein.  He also remarked that healthcare industry is returning to pre-recession levels.  There were 46 IPOs and over $10 million dollars were raised by life science companies, in 2013.  This past year has also been a robust year in debt markets, said Braunstein.  By all indications, 2014 will continue to be a robust year, and acquirers will be rewarded, in the stock market, observed Braunstein.  Acquisition of Life Technologies by Thermo Fisher Scientific for $13.6 Billion was the largest acquisition deal in 2013 and is poised to give Thermo Fisher a leading position in the genetic sequencing market.

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