Medtronic and Arbor Surgical form pericardial heart valve partnership

Medtronic has announced that it has signed an exclusive global licensing agreement with Arbor Surgical that will see Medtronic manufacture, market and distribute Arbor’s bovine pericardial tissue heart valve products.

The agreement also gives Medtronic a minority stake in the medical company while Arbor retains exclusive rights to its Trilogy Aortic Valve System and TRE implantation technologies.

Medtronic has indicated that the Arbor’s technology range will complement its own structural heart disease therapy objectives with the firm looking to develop options for valve disease, septal defects and atrial fibrillation.

Dr John Liddicoat, vice-president and general manager of the structural heart disease business at Medtronic, welcomed the partnership and stated his confidence that Arbor’s pericardial valve design would combine effectively with Medtronic’s proprietary technologies.

“I am truly excited about this opportunity and the ongoing strengthening of our structural heart disease product offering,” he added.

Arbor’s chairman and co-founder Dr Thomas Fogarty also expressed his delight in signing the agreement and confirmed that the partnership had the ability to bring the company’s technology to many patients.

Earlier this month, Medtronic announced that its HeartRescue programme was to focus on schools following the release of new grant guidelines.