A safer, quicker way to treat some heart arrhythmia cases could be on the horizon, creating an opportunity for medical device companies Boston Scientific and Medtronic, according to Piper Sandler analyst Matt O'Brien. Atrial fibrillation is the most common type of heart arrhythmia, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It estimates 12.1 million people in the U.S. will have this condition in 2030.
He estimates that Boston Scientific will ring up $454 million in sales by 2025 for its Farapulse catheter. However, Medtronic appears to have the lead on a second-generation dual ablation version "by a mile," Piper Sandler said. Medtronic's Affera system has already been approved in the EU, and a trial is underway in the U.S. Unfortunately, some of its gains could cannibalize Medtronic's existing cryoablation business, he said.