Pulse Technology from Michigan Wins Big Deal

A medical company called Stryker has bought a small startup from the University of Michigan for up to $835 million. The startup, Amplitude Vascular Systems (AVS), created a machine called Pulse IVL that can break calcium out of clogged arteries. Calcium makes the walls of arteries stiff and can lead to heart attacks or strokes.

How Pulse IVL Works

The Pulse device works by sending pressure waves through a tiny balloon that goes inside the artery.

• Pressure waves shatter the calcium.
• The balloon then pushes the artery open so blood can flow again.

Experts say this could help patients whose arteries are very hard to treat with other methods.

From Campus to Clinic

• Origin: AVS grew from teamwork between a heart doctor and an engineering professor at Michigan.
• Leadership: A former student of the engineer now runs AVS’s tech side.
• Funding Path: The state of Michigan helped early by giving research money, and a local investment firm pushed the company toward being a real business.
• Milestones: AVS won a big prize in 2019 and raised $36 million last year to test its product in the U.S. The first trials showed good results with almost 100 patients.

What the Acquisition Means

The company’s leaders, including the doctor and engineer from Michigan, also own part of AVS. They say that being bought by a global firm will speed up the product’s spread and help more people.