Posted by Shirley S. Wang
Olympus — yes, the same Olympus that sells cameras — announced today that it’s offering $1.9 billion to buy Gyrus, a U.K. company that designs equipment for minimally invasive surgery, the WSJ reports.
Minimally invasive surgeries have grown a lot in recent years and
demand is likely to increase as the world population ages and
technologies continue to improve. The procedures tend to be less
painful and offer faster recovery time for patients. They’re used in a
wide variety of surgeries, including for the heart, spine, and brain.
The bid also reflects a broader trend of consolidation among
Japanese companies, as they feel the heat of competition both
domestically and abroad and merge in an attempt to stay competitive.
The combined company would have medical device sales of $3.2 billion,
according to the WSJ.
Olympus is already the largest international maker of endoscopes,
lighted tubes that allow for imaging areas inside the body. In
September, the company announced
the commercial availability of a new product, a pill-sized camera for
photographing the small bowel that is set to compete against the
PillCam SB by Israeli-based Given Imaging. (Meanwhile, Given and J&J just ended their partnership.)
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