Atritech

Atritech, Inc. operated as a medical device company with a sharp focus on developing new therapies for patients with atrial fibrillation who are at an increased risk for stroke. Founded in 2000 and based in Plymouth, Minnesota, the company dedicated its efforts to creating permanent alternatives to long-term medication. One of the founders was Mayo Clinic cardiologist Dr. David Holmes. The firm's primary product was the WATCHMAN® Left Atrial Appendage (LAA) Closure device. This technology was designed to address a critical issue in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation, where blood clots that can lead to stroke commonly form in the LAA, a small pouch in the heart's upper chamber.

The WATCHMAN device is a permanent, umbrella-like implant, roughly the size of a quarter, delivered to the heart through a minimally invasive procedure. Inserted via a catheter through a vein in the leg, the device is deployed to seal the opening of the left atrial appendage, thereby preventing any blood clots formed within from entering the bloodstream and potentially causing a stroke. The core benefit for patients is the potential to discontinue long-term use of blood-thinning medications, which carry a significant risk of bleeding complications. In a key clinical trial, 96% of recipients were able to stop taking blood thinners 45 days after the implant procedure.

Atritech's journey involved significant clinical validation and regulatory milestones. The company conducted the PROTECT-AF clinical trial, an 800-patient study that demonstrated a 38% relative risk reduction for stroke, cardiovascular death, and systemic embolism compared to long-term warfarin therapy. Following this, Atritech secured a CE Mark in 2009, allowing for commercialization outside the United States. The company filed for pre-market approval (PMA) with the U.S. FDA in 2008 and continued with further studies, including the PREVAIL trial, to support its application. The device was eventually approved by the FDA in March 2015. Recognizing the market potential, Boston Scientific announced a definitive agreement to acquire Atritech in January 2011 and completed the transaction in March 2011. The deal consisted of a $100 million upfront payment, with up to an additional $275 million contingent on regulatory and revenue milestones through 2015. This acquisition integrated the WATCHMAN device into Boston Scientific's structural heart portfolio, where it has since seen further development, including the next-generation WATCHMAN FLX.

Keywords: Atritech, WATCHMAN device, left atrial appendage closure, LAA closure, atrial fibrillation, stroke prevention, non-valvular AFib, Boston Scientific acquisition, structural heart disease, medical device, warfarin alternative, blood thinner alternative, percutaneous implant, Dr. David Holmes, PROTECT-AF trial, PREVAIL trial, thromboembolism, cardiovascular device, minimally invasive procedure, heart implant