Shockwave Medical

Shockwave Medical, Inc. operates as a medical device company focused on developing and commercializing products for the treatment of calcified cardiovascular disease. The company was founded in 2009 by Daniel Hawkins and John Adams, who conceived the idea of using lithotripsy, a technology commonly used to break up kidney stones, for cardiovascular applications. Their shared vision was to address the significant clinical challenge posed by calcified plaque in arteries, a condition that complicates interventional procedures.

The company's core technology is Intravascular Lithotripsy (IVL), a proprietary platform that uses sonic pressure waves to fracture problematic calcium deposits within arterial walls. This approach is designed to be safer than traditional methods like high-pressure angioplasty or atherectomy, which can carry higher risks of vessel damage. Following the calcium disruption, an integrated balloon catheter expands the vessel at low pressure to restore blood flow. This process is intended to prepare the vessel for subsequent therapies, such as stenting, by creating a more compliant lesion.

Shockwave Medical's product portfolio includes catheters tailored for treating coronary arteries (the Shockwave C2 and C2+ catheters), peripheral arteries (the Shockwave M5, M5+, and L6 catheters), and most recently, large vessel and aortic valve treatments. The company serves interventional cardiologists, vascular surgeons, and interventional radiologists in hospital settings. Its business model revolves around the sale of these single-use, disposable catheters. Having received initial FDA clearance in 2016 for peripheral artery treatment and later for coronary arteries, the company has established a significant market presence. A major milestone in its corporate history was its acquisition by Johnson & Johnson in a deal valued at approximately $13.1 billion, which was announced in April 2024 and completed in June 2024, positioning Shockwave Medical as part of Johnson & Johnson MedTech.

Keywords: Intravascular Lithotripsy, calcified plaque, cardiovascular devices, interventional cardiology, coronary artery disease, peripheral artery disease, medical technology, angioplasty, atherectomy, Johnson & Johnson