Stryker Corp. continued its aggressive M&A program this year with the planned acquisition of Vertos Medical Inc. Vertos offers a minimally invasive lumbar decompression (Mild) solution for chronic lower back pain caused by lumbar spinal stenosis. The announcement brings Stryker to six deals so far this year: Société d'Etudes, de Recherches et de Fabrication (SERF) SAS, Mfphd LLC, Artelon Inc., Molli Surgical Inc., Care.ai Inc. and now Vertos. Financial terms were not disclosed for any of the transactions.

Johnson & Johnson aims to add a fourth cardiac business to its portfolio in less than two years with the acquisition of V-W aveLtd., which makes the Ventura interatrial shunt system for the treatment of heart failure. J&J will pay $600 million up front and an additional $1.1 billion contingent on meeting specified regulatory and commercial milestones. The deal is slated to close before the end of the year.

Johnson & Johnson (J&J) aims to add a fourth cardiac business to its portfolio in less than two years with the acquisition of V-Wave Ltd., which makes the Ventura interatrial shunt system for the treatment of heart failure. J&J will pay $600 million up front and an additional $1.1 billion contingent on meeting specified regulatory and commercial milestones. The deal is slated to close before the end of the year.

Edwards Lifesciences Corp. continued its recent acquisition streak with its buy of JC Medical Inc., a subsidiary of Genesis Medtech International. The sale included the intellectual property and commercial rights for the J-Valve system, a transcatheter aortic valve replacement for the treatment of severe aortic regurgitation.

In an earnings call, Asensus Surgical Inc. told shareholders it will have to file for bankruptcy if they do not approve the previously reported merger with Karl Storz Se & Co. KG.

More than 18 months after announcing plans to spin off its kidney care division as a standalone public company, Baxter International Inc. reached an agreement to sell the business for $3.8 billion to global equity investor Carlyle and Atmas Health instead. The transaction is expected to close in late 2024 or the first quarter of 2025.

Nevro Corp. retained advisors to explore strategic alternatives, including a possible sale of the business or acquisitions that could shift its focus to earlier points in the pain management process. The spinal cord stimulator company faces increased competition in its core market.

Zimmer Biomet Holdings Inc. reported it will buy Orthogrid Systems Inc., a company that makes artificial intelligence-driven surgical guidance systems for total hip replacement for an undisclosed amount, and expects to complete the deal by the end of the fourth quarter of 2024.

Medtronic plc looks to establish a moat around its diabetes pump position with an exclusive global partnership with Abbott Laboratories to develop a Freestyle Libre-based CGM that works with Medtronic’s smart dosing devices and insulin pump.

Mediwound Ltd. reported that the Nexobrid expanded treatment access protocol achieved complete debridement in 94.9% of adults and all children treated and removed all eschar within 24 hours. The results put more power behind a partnership with Vericel Corp. that introduced Nexobrid, an enzymatic debridement agent for severe thermal burns, into the U.S. in the fourth quarter of 2023 and increases the likelihood of an indication expansion into pediatrics.