ZOLL Medical Corporation, an Asahi Kasei company, acquires Respicardia, Inc.
April 12, 2021
Asahi Kasei Corp.
ZOLL Medical Corporation (ZOLL), an Asahi Kasei company, has acquired Respicardia, Inc. (Respicardia), a U.S. medical equipment company which manufactures and sells the remedē® System, an implantable neurostimulator device for the treatment of central sleep apnea (CSA). The acquisition process was completed on April 9, 2021 (U.S. Eastern time).
With established businesses centered on cardiopulmonary resuscitation, notably defibrillators for medical professionals, automated external defibrillators (AEDs), and LifeVest® wearable defibrillators, ZOLL has sought to further expand in the field of acute critical care including peripheral areas such as heart failure and respiratory dysfunction. Respicardia develops innovative therapies for conditions with large unmet clinical needs. With this acquisition, ZOLL will combine its expertise in cardiac and respiratory care with Respicardia’s novel remedē® System to make a meaningful difference in the health and quality of life for many patients.
The only implantable medical device approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat moderate to severe CSA in adult patients with reduced cardiac function,1 Respicardia’s remedē® System received approval in October 2017.
There are two primary classifications of sleep apnea: obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and CSA. While OSA results from a blockage of the upper airway, CSA occurs when the brain fails to send appropriate signals to the breathing muscles that stimulate a regular breathing pattern. CSA symptoms include chronic fatigue, excessive daytime sleepiness, cognitive impairment and inability to get restful sleep. Many patients with CSA also have heart disease, especially heart failure.2 Within this population, patients with CSA are at increased risk for hospitalizations and even death.3,4
The remedē® System delivers electrical pulses to one of the phrenic nerves, which send signals to the diaphragm, restoring a more normal breathing pattern during sleep.
remedē® System
With the acquisition of Respicardia, ZOLL will leverage the combined sales networks and maximize synergy in marketing to cardiologists in order to contribute to improved sleep and alleviated symptoms for CSA patients. It is estimated that more than one million such patients could benefit from the remedē® System in the U.S. alone.5
ZOLL will continue to expand and strengthen its portfolio in acute critical care through strategic investments and acquisitions targeting products and services in areas such as acute myocardial infarction, heart failure, and respiratory dysfunction.
The Asahi Kasei Group continually contributes to life and living for the achievement of a sustainable society.
Corporate Profile of Respicardia, Inc.
- Establishment
- 2006
- Headquarters
- Minnetonka, Minnesota
- CEO
- Peter Sommerness
- Business content
- Development, manufacture, and sale of remedē® System
- Employees
- Approximately 75
- Business area
- Mainly the U.S.
- Website
- https://www.respicardia.com/
Corporate Profile of Asahi Kasei Corporation
- Headquarters
- Tokyo, Japan
- President
- Hideki Kobori
- Website
- https://www.asahi-kasei.com/
Corporate Profile of ZOLL Medical Corporation
- Headquarters
- Chelmsford, Massachusetts, USA
- CEO
- Jonathan Rennert
- Website
- https://www.zoll.com/
- 1FDA PMA P160039
- 2Bekfani T, Abraham WT. Europace. 2016 Aug;18(8):1123-34. doi: 10.1093/europace/euv435. Epub 2016 May 26.
- 3Khayat R et al. Central sleep apnea is a predictor of cardiac readmission in hospitalized patients with systolic heart failure. J Card Fail 2012;18:534–40.
- 4Khayat, R et al. Sleep disordered breathing and post-discharge mortality in patients with acute heart failure, European Heart Journal 2015;36 1463–1469.
- 5Javaheri and Dempsey, Comprehensive Physiology 2013; 3:141-163; Dymedex data on file, 2014