Dive Brief:
- Abbott is buying Topera for $250 million; the company has developed a 3-D mapping system for diagnosing and treating atrial fibrillation (AF). The system was approved by the FDA in January.
- Topera's ground-breaking catheter-based platform allows doctors to identify a specific area of a patient's heart where abnormal impulses are occurring, and target treatment to that area via cauterization.
- Topera is a start-up that was launched in Boston in 2008. It has been aggressive about raising money, with at least $31 million in total funding since the company was started.
Dive Insight:
Abbott's foray into minimally invasive, catheter-based diagnosis and treatment of AF provides an opportunity to address a therapeutic area with a rapidly growing market demand.
According to the Heart Rhythm Society, 3 million adults in the U.S. have AF. Since the risk of AF increases with age, and the population is aging, prevalence of AF is concurrently increasing. AF is the most common heart rhythm abnormality, and doctors are sure to be pleased to have another available treatment option.