Portsmouth, New Hampshire-based medical device manufacturer Laborie Medical Technologies announced it has acquired Minnesota company Urotronic in a deal worth up to $600 million. The acquisition provides Laborie entry into the interventional urology market and adds Urotronic’s novel Optilume drug-coated balloon technology to its product portfolio.
The definitive agreement was signed on September 6, 2023 with an upfront payment of $255 million in cash to close the deal. Up to $345 million more is payable based on certain commercial and reimbursement milestones being achieved.
Optilume is a minimally invasive surgical therapy (MIST) that combines mechanical dilation with delivery of the chemotherapy drug paclitaxel to treat urinary tract conditions like urethral strictures and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), also known as enlarged prostate.
BPH affects over 40 million men in the United States alone and the global market for BPH treatment is valued at over $4 billion. Current surgical interventions for BPH like transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) or laser procedures can have side effects and long recovery times.
Optilume has already gained FDA approval and CE Mark in Europe for treating BPH. This regulatory clearance, along with positive clinical data showing good safety and efficacy, were key factors in Laborie’s decision to acquire Urotronic.
The Optilume technology represents a paradigm shift in how urologists can treat patients suffering from BPH and urethral strictures. Rather than invasive surgery or permanent implants, the drug-coated balloon can be inserted cystoscopically and then inflated to dilate the urethra and deliver the paclitaxel to the tissue. The minimally invasive approach leads to fast patient recovery compared to other options.
According to Laborie Medical President and CEO Michael Frazzette, “There has never been a minimally invasive, combination drug-device therapy like Optilume before, leading to a highly disruptive, paradigm change for physicians treating urethral strictures and BPH.”
Urotronic CEO David Perry likewise noted that “Backed by positive clinical data, the Optilume BPH therapy is truly groundbreaking as the only MIST option that doesn’t require cutting, burning, steaming or a permanent implant.”
The Urotronic acquisition represents a strategic move for Laborie Medical Technologies to push further into the global urology market. Laborie is focused on high-growth segments including urology, gastroenterology, gynecology, and obstetrics.
According to Patricia Industries, which owns Laborie, the deal furthers Laborie’s long-term growth strategy by adding an innovative product with strong potential to its portfolio. Urotronic’s employees and assets will be fully integrated into Laborie Medical after the acquisition.
Laborie itself was acquired by Patricia Industries in 2017 for an estimated $2.4 billion and has gone through a period of rapid growth since then. The company manufactures a range of diagnostic equipment like urodynamic systems as well as therapy products such as electrodes for pelvic floor stimulation.
The global medical device market has seen a surge of M&A activity in recent years. Strategic mergers and acquisitions allow companies to expand their product lines, access new technology, enter new geographic markets, and consolidate to gain economies of scale.
Medtech titan Boston Scientific for example has made 10 acquisitions in the past 5 years totaling over $10 billion to become a leading player in less invasive device treatments. Teleflex likewise acquired Neotract and its novel UroLift system for treating BPH in a $1 billion purchase in 2017.
The closing of the Urotronic acquisition provides another growth milestone for Laborie Medical as it executes its strategy of providing innovative therapeutic solutions to physicians and hospitals involved in urological procedures. Adding Optilume’s promising technology gives it a differentiated offering in the nonsurgical treatment of enlarged prostate and strengthens Laborie’s portfolio for continued expansion in the urology device sector.
