The first quarter saw several big-money acquisitions in the orthopedic device industry.
Five transactions that caught the attention of the industry this year:
1. NuVasive paid $150 million in February to acquire Simplify Medical, which has developed an artificial disc that is being evaluated for two-level indications. NuVasive will make additional payments if certain regulatory approval and sales milestones are met.
2. Alphatec plans to acquire EOS imaging in a $116.9 million all-cash transaction. The company said it will integrate EOS technology into its Alpha Informatix platform, adding spinal imaging and anatomical modeling. Alphatec said it filed the offer with the French Financial Markets Authority in February and expects the transaction to close soon.
3. In January, Stryker acquired OrthoSensor and its Verasense intraoperative sensor system that could strengthen Stryker's Mako robot. OrthoSensor's MotionSense remote patient-monitoring wearables and mobile application will combine with OrthloLogIQ, Stryker's cloud-based data platform, to grow its data analytics capabilities. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
4. Smith+Nephew acquired Integra LifeSciences' extremity orthopedics business for $240 million in January. The deal includes a shoulder replacement system the company expects to launch in 2022. After closing, Integra's Orthopedics and Tissue Technologies segment rebranded as the Tissue Technologies segment.
5. In January, DJO acquired Trilliant Surgical, a provider of foot and ankle orthopedic implants. Trilliant developed the Arsenal foot plating system, designed for flexibility and faster implant placement.