Abbott Labs to Buy Topera

Abbott Laboratories has struck a deal to buy catheter-based electrophysiology device maker Topera Inc. for approximately $250 million.

Topera’s primary technology is a diagnostic catheter and mapping software, or rotor-identification system, used to diagnose and treat atrial fibrillation, a heart-rhythm disorder. The technology helps physicians identify and target specific areas of a person’s heart that are sustaining the heart-rhythm disorder.

The deal, expected to close before the end of the year, also includes potential milestone payments. Further financial details were not provided.

Abbott also said it has secured the right to acquire Advanced Cardiac Therapeutics Inc., which is developing an ablation catheter that aims to improve the safety and effectiveness of ablation procedures, in a separate transaction.

Financial terms were not disclosed.

“There is significant room to use advanced rotor-identification technologies to improve the success rate and reduce the need for multiple ablation procedures, and thus improve the health of people with atrial fibrillation,” said John M. Capek, executive vice president of Abbott’s medical devices business. “The Topera acquisition and our agreement with [Advanced Cardiac Therapeutics] provide a foundational entry into the large, high-growth electrophysiology market.”

“Topera’s mapping technology has the potential to change the paradigm for how physicians approach treating people with atrial fibrillation,” said John Miller, M.D., professor of medicine and director of clinical cardiac electrophysiology at Indiana UniversityHealth. “The ability to more accurately target the areas of the heart perpetuating atrial fibrillation is a significant advancement in the field of electrophysiology, which may allow us to treat more people with atrial fibrillation and lead to better health results.” 

Abbott’s electrophysiology business will be led by industry veteran Michael Pederson, who joins Abbott from privately held medical device company VytronUS Inc., where he was president and CEO.

Abbott Labs is based outside Chicago, Ill. The company makes pharmaceuticals and medical products.