Journal of Innovation in Cardiac Rhythm Management
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Abbott Acquires Kalila Medical to Expand Cardiac Electrophysiology Offerings

ABBOTT PARK, Ill.,— Abbott announced today that it has acquired Kalila Medical, Inc., a private medical device company developing next-generation access technologies used in cardiac electrophysiology procedures for the treatment of heart rhythm disorders, including atrial fibrillation. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Kalila Medical, headquartered in Campbell, Calif., has developed a novel steerable sheath that helps physicians more easily access and perform catheter-based electrophysiology procedures. The company's proprietary technology features an innovative design that eliminates whipping from torque buildup experienced with other sheath designs. The sheath also provides optimal navigation stability during cardiac ablation procedures, enabling precise left atrial access and maneuverability, with the potential to decrease procedure time.[1]

"Atrial fibrillation is a serious condition that increases the risk of stroke and causes severe symptoms in many patients, but remains undertreated today because current technologies have limited effectiveness," said Michael Pederson, general manager of Abbott's electrophysiology business. "With this acquisition, Abbott gains a unique technology to expand our portfolio of tools for the treatment of atrial fibrillation and other heart rhythm disorders. We look forward to initiating the launch of this innovative sheath in the United States and Europe in the coming weeks."

In 2014, Abbott acquired Topera, a company developing innovative electrophysiology technologies, which identify and locate rotors – the unique patient-specific sources that sustain serious heart rhythm disorders, including atrial fibrillation. With the ability to visualize individual rotors, physicians can tailor treatment approaches for each patient. Abbott released a new software update providing enhanced rotor visualization, which is designed to improve the efficiency of physiologic rotor mapping, in January 2016.

Kalila received 510(k) clearance from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its steerable introducer sheath in 2014 and received CE Mark in December 2013.

About Atrial Fibrillation:
Atrial fibrillation is the most common heart rhythm disorder, affecting more than 30 million people worldwide, with five million new cases reported annually. Globally, high blood pressure and obesity are the top risk factors for atrial fibrillation, which has a significant impact on healthcare costs.

Treatment options include medications, which do not address the underlying problem, and minimally invasive, catheter-based ablation procedures, which are designed to disrupt the transmission of abnormal impulses in the heart but have limited effectiveness with the current technology. Today, less than 3 percent of the approximately 12 million patients diagnosed with atrial fibrillation in the U.S., Europe, and Japan are treated with catheter ablation, with the majority of ablations performed on less sick patients. This results in a large, unmet clinical need, especially for sicker atrial fibrillation patients.

About Abbott:
At Abbott (NYSE: ABT), we're committed to helping you live your best possible life through the power of health. For more than 125 years, we've brought new products and technologies to the world -- in nutrition, diagnostics, medical devices and branded generic pharmaceuticals -- that create more possibilities for more people at all stages of life. Today, 74,000 of us are working to help people live not just longer, but better, in the more than 150 countries we serve.

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