Johnson & Johnson announced on April 24, 2026, that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Atraverse Medical, Inc., a privately held medical technology company based in San Diego. The acquisition is designed to integrate Atraverse’s specialized left-heart access and radiofrequency (RF) technology into Johnson & Johnson’s existing cardiac ablation portfolio. The transaction is expected to close in the second quarter of 2026, subject to customary regulatory approvals and closing conditions. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
The centerpiece of the acquisition is Atraverse Medical’s HOTWIRE Transseptal Access System, which received 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in late 2025. The system consists of an RF guidewire and a dedicated generator designed to provide physicians with greater control and precision when accessing the left atrium during cardiac procedures. According to official statements from Johnson & Johnson, achieving safe and precise access to the left atrium is a critical step in the successful ablation of atrial fibrillation (AFib) and other complex cardiac arrhythmias.
The HOTWIRE system features several proprietary technical advancements, including impedance-sensing technology that automatically shuts off energy delivery once a transseptal crossing is achieved. This safety feature is intended to minimize the risk of unintended radiofrequency exposure within the left atrium. Additionally, the system offers universal sheath compatibility, allowing it to be integrated into various clinical workflows, and provides enhanced visibility of the device tip under intracardiac echocardiography. To date, the HOTWIRE system has been utilized in approximately 3,000 clinical procedures. Earlier in April 2026, Atraverse released clinical data validating the system's performance, highlighting reduced tissue injury and consistent performance across diverse workflows.
This acquisition follows a period of significant growth for Johnson & Johnson’s cardiovascular franchise, which reported $8.9 billion in sales for the full year 2025, representing a 16% year-over-year increase. The company has focused its capital allocation on high-growth medical technology sectors since the divestment of its consumer health business in 2023. By adding Atraverse’s technology, Johnson & Johnson aims to offer a more comprehensive suite of tools for electrophysiologists, complementing its existing mapping and ablation platforms such as the CARTO 3 System and the recently launched VARIPULSE pulsed field ablation platform.
Michael Bodner, Company Group Chair of Electrophysiology and Neurovascular at Johnson & Johnson MedTech, noted that the integration of Atraverse’s technology aligns with the company’s commitment to advancing the standard of care for cardiac arrhythmias. Atraverse Medical was founded in 2022 by a team with a history in the cardiac space, including co-founders who previously developed the Farapulse technology. The integration of the HOTWIRE system is expected to provide Johnson & Johnson with a differentiated entry point for complex left-heart interventions, addressing a long-standing procedural challenge in the electrophysiology market.