Dive Brief:
- Stryker said Monday that it has agreed to buy intravascular lithotripsy firm Amplitude Vascular Systems. The companies did not disclose the terms of the acquisition.
- Intravascular lithotripsy is a procedure to treat artery disease. Boston-based Amplitude Vascular Systems, or AVS, uses pressure waves generated by carbon dioxide through a balloon catheter to break up calcified plaque.
- The acquisition is expected to bolster Stryker’s peripheral vascular portfolio once AVS’ device is cleared in key markets.
Dive Insight:
Stryker has identified IVL as a fast growing cardiovascular procedure.
CEO Kevin Lobo said in a statement that the acquisition should expand treatment options for physicians and improve care for patients with calcified peripheral arterial disease.
“This acquisition represents an important step in advancing our vision to build a comprehensive peripheral vascular platform and address significant unmet clinical needs,” Lobo said.
AVS’ Pulse IVL system is still an investigational device, but it is poised to be “one of the most credible next-gen challengers to Shockwave IVL,” Leerink Partners analyst Mike Kratky wrote in a research note on Monday.
Stryker’s proposal follows other buys of IVL technology by competitors. In 2024, Johnson & Johnson acquired Shockwave Medical for $13.1 billion, and Boston Scientific bought the remaining stake in Bolt Medical for $664 million last year.
In February 2025, Stryker bought Inari Medical for about $4.9 billion. Inari makes devices to remove blood clots and other vascular disease treatments. Kratky said between Inari and AVS, cardiovascular has emerged as an increased area of focus for Stryker, which has prioritized acquisitions and shifting into higher growth markets.
