Johnson & Johnson appears to exit LAA closure market, selling heart tech to new startup
Jaguar LAA, a new California-based medtech startup, has purchased key assets related to performing left atrial appendage (LAA) closure procedures from Johnson & Johnson.
Johnson & Johnson has owned these assets since it acquired the medtech company Laminar for $400 million back in 2023. Now, some original Laminar employees have partnered with investment firm Santé Ventures to buy back the assets and push forward as Jaguar LAA, a brand new company.
The financial terms of this acquisition have not yet been made public.
“We believe the Laminar technology offers a differentiated approach to LAA closure, particularly through its ability to leave minimal device exposure within the left atrium,” Jason Rogers, chief medical officer of Jaguar LAA, said in a statement. "We are excited to continue the work behind the program and explore its potential to provide an important new treatment option for patients with atrial fibrillation (AFib).”
LAA closure, also known as LAA occlusion, is a common treatment for reducing the risk of stroke in patients presenting with nonvalvular AFib who are unable to tolerate oral anticoagulants. Laminar’s technology, which has not yet been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), uses rotational motion to close and then eliminate the patient’s LAA.
Jaguar LAA plans on continuing the work Laminar—and, for a time, Johnson & Johnson—has already done on finishing the development of this technology and getting it approved by the FDA.
Michael has more than 19 years of experience as a professional writer and editor. He has written at length about cardiology, radiology, artificial intelligence and other key healthcare topics.