Boston Scientific announces takeover of Xlumena

Boston Scientific has agreed a deal to acquire the venture-backed medical technology firm Xlumena in a deal worth up to $75 million (50.71 million pounds).

Xlumena develops, manufactures and sells minimally invasive devices for endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided transluminal drainage of targeted areas within the gastrointestinal tract.

Its product portfolio includes the Axios and Hot Axios stent and delivery systems, the world's first devices designed for endoscopic ultrasound-guided transluminal drainage of symptomatic pancreatic pseudocysts.

Both systems have been CE Mark-approved for facilitating transgastric or transduodenal endoscopic drainage of pancreatic pseudocysts or the biliary tract, and are sold in selected European regions.

David Pierce, senior vice-president and president for endoscopy at Boston Scientific, said: "We believe the acquisition of Xlumena and their minimally-invasive products, combined with the Boston Scientific broad product portfolio, demonstrates our commitment to advancing the field of interventional EUS therapeutics."

This comes after the firm acquired the American Medical Systems urology portfolio from Endo International last month.