Ethicon Completes Torax Medical Acquisition

Ethicon announced the completion of its acquisition of Torax Medical Inc., a privately held medical device company that manufactures and markets the LINX Reflux Management System for the surgical treatment of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD). This acquisition is aligned with Ethicon’s strategy of expanding its portfolio of minimally invasive options for patients suffering from prevalent and serious medical conditions. Financial terms of the transaction have not been disclosed.
 
“Millions of patients continue to suffer from GERD symptoms even when taking high dosages of medication to treat the acid reflux and are left with limited choices to improve their symptoms,” said Michael del Prado, group company chair of Ethicon. “This novel technology offers patients an attractive minimally invasive surgical alternative, that preserves gastric anatomy, establishes normal physiological function, and is reversible.”
 
GERD can have a significant impact on a patients’ quality of life. For those patients with symptoms that are not well controlled by lifestyle or medical management, anti-reflux surgery is an option. The LINX Reflux Management System offers patients a clinically proven, safe, effective, and durable alternative to the anatomy-altering Laparoscopic Nissen Fundoplication (LNF).^1,2 The LINX Reflux Management System is a small implant comprised of interlinked titanium beads with magnetic cores. The magnetic attraction between the beads augments the esophageal sphincter’s barrier function to prevent reflux.
 
“Torax and Ethicon share a vision for the transformational role that our products can have in advancing patient care,” said Todd Berg, CEO and president of Torax Medical. “We are excited to join together to expand patient access to the clinical benefits of LINX.”
 
References
¹Ganz RA, Long Term Outcomes of Patients Receiving a Magnetic Sphincter Augmentation Device for Gastroesophageal Reflux, Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, May 2016.
²Reynolds, J. L., Zehetner, J., Wu, P. , Shah, S., Bildzukewicz, N. and Lipham, J. C., Laparoscopic Magnetic Sphincter Augmentation vs. Laparoscopic Nissen Fundoplication: A Matched-Pair Analysis of 100 Patients, J Am Coll Surg;2015;221:123-128.