Johnson & Johnson MedTech Acquires Laminar

November 30, 2023—Johnson & Johnson MedTech announced the completion of its acquisition of Laminar, Inc., a privately held medical device company focused on left atrial appendage elimination—LAAX—to reduce the risk of stroke in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (AFib). Laminar joins Johnson & Johnson MedTech as part of Biosense Webster, Inc.

Johnson & Johnson MedTech acquired Laminar for an upfront payment of $400 million, subject to customary adjustments, with additional potential clinical and regulatory milestone payments in 2024 and beyond.

According to the company, Laminar’s approach uses rotational motion to eliminate the LAA in contrast to commercially available catheter-based procedure devices that use plugs to occlude the LAA. Laminar recently received FDA approval for the United States pivotal study of its device for LAAX, which will begin enrollment in early 2024.

“We are excited to welcome Laminar to Johnson & Johnson MedTech,” stated Jasmina Brooks, President, Biosense Webster, in the press release. “Laminar’s innovative approach will provide Biosense Webster the opportunity to expand our portfolio in this high-growth market, complement our electrophysiology and intracardiac echo strengths, and deepen our presence with interventional cardiologists and electrophysiologists. Fueled by the global scale and commercial and clinical strength of Biosense Webster, we are excited to explore the possibilities ahead to reach even more patients with critical unmet need.”

Laminar’s President & CEO Randy Lashinski, added, “For the millions of people living with AFib, stroke risk is a major concern. The team at Laminar is driven by our vision to develop and deliver an innovative solution to help patients live without the fear of stroke, or the need for long-term use of blood thinners. We are looking forward to advancing this vision as part of Johnson & Johnson MedTech.”