Boston Scientific has signed a definitive agreement to acquire a Boston-based infusion pump maker Intera Oncology.
Intera’s main asset is its hepatic artery infusion (HAI) therapy device, the Intera 3000 Hepatic Artery Infusion Pump. The continuous pump is approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to deliver chemotherapy to treat liver tumours through the hepatic artery.
Although Boston Scientific did not disclose the financial details of the transaction, it noted that the deal is expected to have “an immaterial impact” on the adjusted earnings per share in 2025. The acquisition is expected to close in the first half of 2025.
Intera 3000 is implanted under the skin with a connected catheter placed in the hepatic artery. This supplies the liver with oxygenated blood. The pump then provides a continuous flow of floxuridine directly into the liver to treat tumours that have metastasised, especially from metastatic colorectal cancer.
Intera Oncology boasts that the Intera 300 pump is the only constant flow implantable pump for HAI therapy approved in the US. The company faced a setback in January when the FDA issued a Class I recall tag to selected Intera 3000 pumps. The recall involved 50 devices after the reports emerged that certain pumps “were delivering medications (flow rate) faster than expected”. The quicker-than-expected flow rates can “increase the risk of liver toxicity if the fast flow is not recognised and adjusted to deliver the appropriate dose”, as per the FDA recall notice.
Intera Oncology marks the fourth acquisition made by Boston Scientific this year. In January, the company acquired urology device maker Axonics for approximately $3.7bn. Axonics’ portfolio consists of FDA-approved sacral neuromodulation devices for treating overactive bladder (OAB) and faecal incontinence.
In June, Boston Scientific spent about $1.26bn to acquire a US-based carotid artery device specialist, Silk Road Medical. The latter’s main asset is transcarotid artery revascularisation (TCAR) devices, which are used in a minimally invasive procedure to treat carotid artery disease. This month, the US device giant set its sights on Ajax Health company, Cortex, to bolster its cardiac ablation portfolio.
