Stryker Agrees to Buy Amplitude Vascular Systems, Adding Intravascular Lithotripsy

Stryker has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Amplitude Vascular Systems, a privately held company developing an intravascular lithotripsy (IVL) platform to treat calcified peripheral arterial disease, the company announced on April 13. The companies did not disclose the terms, MedTech Dive reported.

Stryker said the acquisition will strengthen its peripheral vascular portfolio by adding revascularization technology. Once cleared for use in applicable markets, the AVS product will complement Stryker's existing peripheral vascular offerings and support its strategy to expand in arterial disease treatment, the company said.

The technology

Intravascular lithotripsy uses pressure waves delivered through a balloon catheter to crack calcium deposits inside arteries. According to Stryker, AVS's system uses pulsed CO₂-generated pressure waves uniformly delivered through an IVL balloon catheter to fracture calcium and optimize luminal gain, as reported by Endovascular Today. The platform is designed to improve catheter deliverability, treatment speed and therapy efficiency, the company said.

AVS, which is based in Boston, calls the device the Pulse IVL system. It is still an investigational device, MedTech Dive reported. Leerink Partners analyst Mike Kratky wrote in a research note that it is poised to be "one of the most credible next-gen challengers to Shockwave IVL," according to the publication.

The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, and Stryker and AVS will operate as separate entities until it closes, Stryker said.

"This acquisition represents an important step in advancing our vision to build a comprehensive peripheral vascular platform and address significant unmet clinical needs," Stryker chair and CEO Kevin Lobo said in the release, as quoted by Endovascular Today. "Combining this innovation with Stryker’s scale and clinical expertise, we believe we can help expand treatment options for physicians and improve care for patients with calcified peripheral artery disease."

Competitors already in the market

The deal follows other purchases of IVL technology by larger device makers. Johnson & Johnson acquired Shockwave Medical for $13.1 billion in 2024, and Boston Scientific bought the remaining stake in Bolt Medical for $664 million last year, MedTech Dive reported.

Stryker has pushed further into vascular care through acquisitions. In February 2025 it bought Inari Medical, which makes devices to remove blood clots, for about $4.9 billion, according to MedTech Dive. Kratky said that between Inari and AVS, cardiovascular has become an increased area of focus for Stryker as it shifts toward higher-growth markets, the publication reported.

Stryker did not say when it expects the AVS transaction to close or when it plans to seek regulatory clearance for the Pulse IVL system.