On July 1, 2022, Acutus Medical (”Acutus”), an arrhythmia-based medical device company, reported that it completed the first of its two closings in its left-heart access portfolio sale to Medtronic. Acutus, the maker of the AcQCross™ line of sheath-compatible septal crossing devices and systems, first announced this deal in late April 2022, and it includes an upfront $50 million cash payment to Acutus Medical upon the initial closing of the transaction. The sale of Acutus’s portfolio comes after Acutus’s restructuring announcement that resulted in layoffs in early January 2022, and Acutus’s recent FDA clearance of its expanded suite of additional left-heart access products such as AcQCross™ Qx system for use with the TruSeal™ and FXD™ delivery system for the Watchman™ LAAC Device.

Left-atrium access procedures require a multi-step process that often involves the exchange of wires and needles through the septum all while trying to obtain a proper angle and location. “Crossing the septum at the proper location is important when doing any left-sided heart procedure, but it can be especially critical to the success of delivering Watchman to the left atrial appendage,” says Dr. Tom Waggoner. “With AcQCross, I can easily reposition without withdrawing or exchanging needles or wires, so its new compatibility with Watchman has made my procedures much safer for my patients and far more efficient for me and my team.”

As stated in Acutus’s release, “US Left-atrial appendage closure procedures are expected to total over 50,000 in 2022…With this clearance, Acutus now offers sheath-compatible transseptal access devices that cover 409,000 electrophysiology and structural heart procedures in the US.”

It still is not clear when the entire deal between Medtronic and Acutus will be finalized. The final closing details are also tied to another $35 million deal with Deerfield Management Company to refinance Acutus’ existing debt.

Medtronic’s acquisition of the portfolio follows Boston Scientific’s $1.75 billion acquisition of Baylis Medical and its transseptal puncture systems.

Written by: Alexander D. Zeng