Boston Scientific to acquire Israel’s SoniVie for up to $540M in push for hypertension treatment
The acquisition adds a promising alternative to traditional blood pressure medications.
Boston Scientific is set to acquire Israeli medical device company SoniVie in a deal worth up to $540 million, marking a significant bet on ultrasound-based treatments for hypertension. The acquisition underscores growing interest in renal denervation (RDN) therapies, which offer a potential alternative to medication for patients struggling with high blood pressure.
Boston Scientific, which already holds a 10% stake in SoniVie, will pay approximately $360 million in cash for the remaining 90% of the company. An additional $180 million will be contingent on regulatory milestones. SoniVie, which has raised $85 million to date, developed the TIVUS (Therapeutic Intravascular Ultrasound) system, an investigational technology designed to use ultrasound energy to treat hypertension by disrupting nerve signals in the renal arteries.
Hypertension remains a leading global health crisis, contributing to heart disease, stroke, and other serious conditions. While lifestyle changes and medications help many patients control blood pressure, a significant portion remain resistant to treatment. Renal denervation, which reduces nerve activity in the kidneys, has emerged as a promising approach, with ultrasound energy offering deeper tissue penetration and potentially faster procedures than traditional radiofrequency methods.
“Renal denervation for hypertension is an exciting medical advancement for the millions of patients it may help,” said Lance Bates, senior vice president of interventional cardiology therapies at Boston Scientific. “We believe the addition of the differentiated, ultrasound-based TIVUS system can complement our expansive interventional portfolio with a minimally invasive therapy for patients with hypertension.”
The TIVUS system operates by emitting precise ultrasound energy that penetrates the renal artery to ablate nerve bundles without anchoring to the vessel walls. This process reduces the sympathetic nervous system’s influence on blood pressure regulation, potentially offering a long-term solution for patients with treatment-resistant hypertension.
SoniVie recently initiated a global pivotal trial for the TIVUS system, building on positive efficacy data from an earlier U.S. and Israel-based pilot study. The system has received FDA breakthrough device designation for both pulmonary arterial hypertension and renal artery denervation, signaling its potential impact in multiple cardiovascular conditions.
The acquisition is expected to close in the first half of 2025, subject to regulatory approvals. Boston Scientific anticipates a slight near-term dilution to earnings per share but plans to offset this through internal cost efficiencies. The deal represents a strategic expansion into the renal denervation space as the company continues to diversify its cardiovascular treatment portfolio.
