INTRODUCTION.

It's a new year and the MedTech Industry has already seen timulating growth, increased market shares and opportunity for innovation in the form of key mergers and acquisitions. Below, we’re listing down our top 5 picks for eye catching mergers and acquisitions in the MedTech Industry.

1. GE HealthCare to buy France’s IMACTIS in first acquisition as independent firm

GE HealthCare, days after establishing itself as an independent company, agreed to acquire France-based IMACTIS, which uses computed tomography (CT) interventional guidance to aid surgeons in minimally invasive operations.

In an interview last month, GE HealthCare CEO Pete Arduini told MedTech Dive that “M&A has been and always will be an important part of [our] strategy.” adding that “Now, we’re starting to see fruits of that activity, which started years ago.”

The company said it plans to expand the technology to its image-guided therapy business to “drive further growth” as demand for the product grows in care areas including oncology, cardiology, urology, nephrology and gastroenterology.

2. Shockwave to pay $100M for Neovasc, adding refractory angina treatment to device pipeline

Shockwave Medical said it agreed to buy Neovasc for about $100 million to gain control of an investigational minimally invasive treatment for refractory angina. 

The device, Reducer, is an adjunctive therapy to treatments of coronary heart disease that is implanted to redistribute blood to ischemic areas of the heart. Neovasc already has a CE mark for the device and last year said it was targeting a 2025 approval in the U.S.

“We’ve been looking for novel therapies that have the potential to treat a large, poorly served patient population, much like lithotripsy for treating calcified arteries was when we started. We’ve stayed away from opportunities that would be a distraction to our U.S. sales team in the next couple of years as we need to maintain our focus on aggressively growing our IVL franchise,” Godshall said on a conference call with investors to discuss the acquisition. 

3. Bayer to buy AI imaging platform Blackford Analysis to bolster radiology growth strategy

Pharmaceutical company Bayer agreed to buy Blackford Analysis as part of a broader focus on radiology innovation.

Edinburgh, Scotland-based Blackford built a software platform to help healthcare providers manage multiple imaging applications and AI algorithms through one system.

Bayer said the acquisition will help bolster its radiology portfolio, which also includes contrast media for imaging and informatics solutions. In 2021, Bayer’s radiology segment brought in €1.8 billion ($1.95 billion).

“Adding Blackford and its AI technology to our radiology portfolio secures Bayer an excellent position in the fastest growing segment within the overall global radiology industry,” Bayer Pharmaceutical Division President Stefan Oelrich said the statement. “This acquisition complements our comprehensive radiology portfolio and nourishes our engagement to drive innovation in digital health.”

4. Relive acquires Co.don to expand global footprint

ReLive Biotechnologies has announced it has completed the acquisition of all operating assets of Germany-listed biotech company Co.Don AG, taking over the global patent rights of its flagship products "Spherox" and "Chondrosphere".

"Spherox" is one of the only two authorized cell therapies for the regenerative treatment of articular cartilage defects globally. It was authorized by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for distribution across Europe in 2017.

"ReLive's acquisition of Co.Don AG will underpin ReLive's multiple R&D projects on the universal cell therapies for cartilage treatments. It also marks one of ReLive's internationalization efforts, as the company aims at building a true global platform for regenerative medicine." said Dr. Xing Zhao, ReLive's founder, Chairman and CEO.

5. Companion Spine acquires Backbone, expanding its degenerative disc product portfolio

Companion Spine has announced the acquisition of Backbone SAS, a company based in Bordeaux, France, that designs, develops, manufactures and markets functional motion restoration implantable devices to treat spinal disorders.

The acquisition expands Companion Spine’s portfolio of medical implant solutions with the inclusion of Backbone’s main medical device, the LISA (Lumbar Implant for Stiffness Augmentation) implant. The move allows Companion Spine to complete its line of treatment solutions for spine diseases, most notably lumbar stenosis and degenerative disc disease, matching implants to the degree of severity of the disease.

Erick Cloix, CEO and co-founder of Companion Spine, said: “The acquisition of Backbone and its leading technology, the LISA implant, is a further development and solidification of Companion Spine’s industrial effort. We are very pleased to be able to expand the continuum of solutions aligning the proper spine implant for the therapeutic goals of the patient.”