Venture investment in the healthcare sector in the second quarter of this year attracted $2.4 billion in financing, an amount second only to the $2.9 billion raised in the first quarter of 2007. Overall, the healthcare sector attracted nearly one-third of the $7.4 billion in venture investment during the quarter. Biopharmaceutical companies continued to lead the sector with $1.1 billion invested in 86 deals. The amount, however, fell short of the nearly $1.4 billion raised in the same period a year ago and the dramatic $1.8 billion that poured into the sector in the first quarter of this year. Through the first half of 2007, though, biopharmaceutical investment totaled $2.9 billion, up from $2.2 billion in the first half of 2006. That in part reflects investors' confidence in liquidity created by the brisk merger and acquisition activity seen in the sector.