Boston Scientific (NYSE: BSX) announced today that it will purchase Ajax Health’s Cortex and its FDA-cleared OptiMap system to guide physicians performing ablation procedures to treat AFib
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Boston Scientific expects to complete the transaction in the first half of 2025, subject to customary closing conditions.
“We believe the addition of the Cortex technology complements our electrophysiology portfolio with a differentiated cardiac mapping offering to assist with complex AF cases,” Nick Spadea-Anello, Boston Scientific’s global president of electrophysiology, said in a news release.
“The OptiMap System has demonstrated it can help physicians devise a targeted ablation strategy for complex cases, which can lead to improved procedural efficiency and outcomes in patients with challenging atrial arrhythmias.2 We look forward to advancing this technology and driving future clinical evidence generation with the goal of making it accessible to physicians and patients globally in the years ahead.”
Marlborough, Massachusetts–based Boston Scientific is making the deal at the same time that it is engaged in stiff competition with Medtronic and other medical device companies to commercialize pulsed field ablation tech, which holds the promise of better outcomes and fewer complications than the radiofrequency ablation previously used.
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Cleared in 2023, the OptiMap system uses a 64-electrode basket catheter and proprietary algorithm to identify potential active AF sources. The goal is to provide physicians with precise insights to efficiently deliver an individualized ablation strategy for a person with AFib.
Ajax Health, a private-equity-backed medtech innovation accelerator, launched Cortex in 2023 with $90 million in funding commitments, led by KKR and Hellman & Friedman.
“Cortex was established to provide physicians with a more intelligent and precise solution for patients with AF,” said Cortex CEO Duke Rohlen. “Joining Boston Scientific will allow us to further develop this technology, which we believe has the ability to transform the treatment of AF for patients around the world.”
