Abbott has acquired Kalila Medical. The company has a novel steerable sheath (Vado) that is designed to help physicians more easily access and perform catheter-based electrophysiology procedures.
According to a company release, Kalila Medical’s proprietary technology is designed to eliminate whipping from torque buildup experienced with other sheath designs. The sheath should also provide optimal navigation stability during cardiac ablation procedures, enabling precise left atrial access and maneuverability, with the potential to decrease procedure time.
“Atrial fibrillation is a serious condition that increases the risk of stroke and causes severe symptoms in many patients, but remains undertreated today because current technologies have limited effectiveness,” says Michael Pederson, general manager of Abbott’s electrophysiology business.
In 2014, Abbott acquired Topera, a company developing innovative electrophysiology technologies, which identify and locate rotors.
Kalila received 510(k) clearance from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its steerable introducer sheath in 2014 and received CE Mark in December 2013.
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
