Abiomed (NSDQ:ABMD) plans to invest $15 million in Shockwave Medical and collaborate on a training and education program in the U.S. and Germany, according to a newly-inked deal between the two companies.
Shockwave’s intravascular lithotripsy technology uses sonic pressure waves to crack vascular calcium in the vessel wall, allowing arteries to expand under low pressure. The company said its catheter is often used in patients with heavily calcified Iliac arteries in order to prepare for the delivery of devices with catheters, like transcatheter heart valves and Abiomed’s Impella heart pump.
“While we are still early in our commercial scaling both in the US and Europe, I am pleased with how positively our Shockwave technology has been received and how many different types of patients and vessels our customers are able to safely treat with our IVL system,” Shockwave’s president & CEO Doug Godshall said in prepared remarks.
“We are delighted to be able to offer patients our solution in combination with Abiomed’s Impella technology using a minimally invasive approach, which should meaningfully improve outcomes. With Abiomed’s best-in-class approach to training and education, Shockwave will be able to more efficiently increase awareness and introduce IVL to customers, which we believe will help them better treat their most challenging patients. We are encouraged to see the positive clinical response we have witnessed to date,” Godshall added.
