最近，波士頓科學公司表示將以9.25億美以及額外的3億美元的商業階段性付款，收購總部位于明尼蘇達州明尼阿波利斯市的私募公司Preventice Solutions，該公司已經持約22％的股份。此前，Hillrom宣布計劃以3.75億美元收購總部位于華盛頓州西雅圖的Bardy Diagnostics（BardyDx）。這兩筆交易均在上周宣布，此前也有皇家飛利浦在12月中旬以28億美元收購總部位于賓夕法尼亞州馬爾文的BioTelemetry公司的消息。

根據Global Market Insights（全球營銷洞察）在2020年8月發布的一份報告，到2026年，心律失常監測設備的市場價值將超過90億美元。該報告還指出，具有增強的檢測和便攜性功能的新產品將刺激市場的增長。值得注意的是，COVID-19極大地推動了遠程醫療監控領域，這可能是促進近期ECG監控并購大潮的因素之一。

此次收購將為波士頓科學公司其在高速增長的動態心電圖領域中提供立足之地， 也為其極大的提供并補充了植入式心臟監護儀的機會。Preventice產品系列包括了遠程醫療監護儀，可穿戴式心臟監護儀，適用于成人和兒童患者。監控儀是一個一體化的云平臺，完全支持獨立的診斷測試設施，并且提供臨床技術人員和人工智能（AI）算法，這些都有可能會對臨床診斷和結果有幫助。Preventice對AI和人類專業知識的整合旨在提高醫師的效率和經驗。

Hillrom總裁兼首席執行官John Groetelaars表示，與Hillrom-BardyDx的交易合作將成為我們在心臟診斷和服務領域領導策略的重要組成部門，這與我們推進互聯醫療的愿景相一致，我們有信心，我們的合并團隊可以繼續在這些極具吸引力的市場中實現快速增長。BardyDx開發了康乃馨門診監護儀（CAM）補丁程序，旨在提高患者的依從性，簡化臨床工作流程，并在報告中提供可用于臨床的數據。CAM補丁是MD + DI在2020年5月的特別報告中重點介紹的創新之一，該報告共含有16項創新。其實早在該報告前，BardyDx就已經獲得了14天版本補丁的CE標記。該補丁在2019年獲得了FDA的認可，并在2020年2月獲得了加拿大衛生部的許可。

飛利浦和BioTelemetry的結合也很強大，因為BioTelemetry非常適合飛利浦的心臟保健產品。BioTelemetry的產品包括可穿戴式心臟監護儀，可無線檢測和傳輸異常的心律；以及基于AI的數據分析和服務。BioTelemetry每月擁有30,000多名獨特的推薦醫生，每年為超過一百萬名患者提供服務。?除此之外，BioTelemetry還擁有臨床研究業務，可為臨床試驗提供測試服務。

引自MDDI

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Connecting the Dots on Recent ECG Monitoring M&A Spree

Two back-to-back acquisitions in the same sector can be called a coincidence, but three is a trend. Today we're taking a closer look at three recent acquisition announcements made in the span of 35 days, all focused on the ambulatory ECG monitoring market.

Most recently, Boston Scientific said it would acquire Minneapolis, MN-based?Preventice Solutions, a private company it already held about a 22% stake in, for $925 million plus the potential of an additional $300 million commercial milestone payment. The announcement came on the heels of Hillrom announcing its planned acquisition of Seattle, WA-based Bardy Diagnostics (BardyDx) for $375 million. These two deals, both announced last week, followed Royal Philips' mid-December news of a $2.8 billion to acquire Malvern, PA-based?BioTelemetry.

According to a?report?published in August 2020 by?Global Market Insights,?the market valuation of cardiac?arrhythmia monitoring devices will cross $9 billion by 2026. The report said new product launches?with enhanced detection and portability features will spur the market growth. It's also worth noting that COVID-19 has driven a major growth spurt in all things remote care monitoring, which is likely a factor in the recent M&A spree in ambulatory ECG monitoring.

The?Boston Scientific-Preventice deal?is expected to provide Boston Scientific with a foothold in the high-growth ambulatory electrocardiography space, which?complements the company's?recent entrance into the implantable cardiac monitor market. The Preventice portfolio includes the BodyGuardian family of remote, wearable cardiac monitors for adult and pediatric patients. The monitors use a fully integrated, cloud-based platform supported by an independent diagnostic testing facility, where clinical technicians and artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms provide insights that may?lead to improved clinical diagnoses and outcomes. Preventice's integration of AI and human expertise is designed to enhance physician efficiency and experience.

The?Hillrom-BardyDx deal?provides Hillrom with a highly strategic and differentiated diagnostic cardiology platform aligned with our vision of Advancing Connected Care, as well as an attractive recurring, high-growth revenue stream and gross margin profile, according to?Hillrom President and CEO?John Groetelaars. BardyDx?has developed the Carnation Ambulatory Monitor (CAM) patch, which is?designed to promote patient compliance, streamline clinical workflow,?and yield clinically actionable data in a report. The CAM patch was one of 16 COVID-19 innovations?spotlighted by MD+DI in a special report in May of 2020. The company received?CE mark for a 14-day version?of the patch before?MD+DI’s report. The patch won a nod from FDA in 2019 and a Health Canada clearance in February 2020.

Philips and?BioTelemetry?make a strong pair also, as BioTelemetry fits nicely with Philips'?cardiac care portfolio.?BioTelemetry’s?offering includes wearable heart monitors that detect and transmit abnormal heart rhythms wirelessly; and?AI-based data analytics and services. With more than 30,000 unique referring physicians per month, BioTelemetry provides services for over one million patients per year, the company noted. BioTelemetry also has a clinical research business that provides testing services for clinical trials.