Edwards Lifesciences (Irvine, California) reported that it has enhanced its core heart valve business with the acquisition of all technology and intellectual property associated with ev3's (Plymouth, Minnesota) percutaneous mitral valve repair program for roughly $15 million. ev3, a privately held endovascular medical device company, acquired a majority of the percutaneous mitral valve repair technology and intellectual property from MitraLife (Santa Rosa, California) in January 2002. The interventional approach to mitral valve repair has the potential for improving the quality of life for many patients who suffer from clinically significant mitral valve regurgitation, but for whom surgery is not prescribed, Edwards said, adding an estimate that sales of catheter-based valve repair and replacement products in 2010 could approximate the sales of today's entire surgical heart valve repair and replacement products.

St. Jude Medical (St. Paul, Minnesota) reported the completion of its previously disclosed acquisition of privately held Irvine Biomedical (IBI; Irvine, California), a developer of electrophysiology (EP) catheter products that are used by physician specialists to diagnose and treat cardiac rhythm disorders. The deal was first announced in August. Irvine Biomedical's products consist of diagnostic and therapeutic EP catheter systems that include its radio frequency generator. To acquire the remaining 86% of Irvine Biomedical's capital stock that it did not already own, St. Jude was paid $47 million at deal close.

Zoll Medical (Chelmsford, Massachusetts), a manufacturer of resuscitation devices and software solutions, reported that it was exercising its option to acquire Revivant (Sunnyvale, California), manufacturer of the AutoPulse non-invasive cardiac support pump. The AutoPulse is an FDA-approved device that offers the potential of restoring near-normal blood flow levels in victims of sudden cardiac arrest. The automated, portable AutoPulse compresses the entire chest in a consistent, optimal "hands-free" manner, moving much more blood than manual chest compressions. Once the deal is completed, Revivant will become a subsidiary of Zoll and retain its manufacturing and R&D functions in Sunnyvale. Zoll will consolidate marketing and sales operations at its headquarters in Chelmsford and will retain the AutoPulse product name for marketing purposes. The option was part of an agreement first disclosed in August 2003, through which Zoll invested $7 million in Revivant preferred stock and provided $5 million of debt financing. Zoll received a 15% stake and the option to acquire the remaining outstanding shares. Zoll will pay an additional $15 million as the initial merger payment.