New products take center stage in medtech’s latest earnings season | MedTech Dive

Oct 17, 2024

From pulsed field ablation devices to Intuitive’s latest da Vinci robot, product launches dominated recent earnings calls.

Product launches for key medtech businesses led earnings calls this season, as new ablation devices and robotic surgery systems hit the market and investors await the upcoming release of an over-the-counter glucose sensor.

Boston Scientific and Medtronic focused on new pulsed field ablation (PFA) systems during their calls, with both companies providing first looks at the performance of the recently launched products to treat atrial fibrillation, a common irregular heart rhythm. Meanwhile, Abbott and Johnson & Johnson provided updates on their PFA systems, which are not yet available in the U.S.

Boston Scientific CEO Mike Mahoney touted the Farapulse PFA system as the “most transformational product that I’ve seen in my career with the company.”

Amid the earnings season, PFA took over the Heart Rhythm Society annual meeting, with a list of clinical trial results published by J&J, Medtronic and Boston Scientific. The conference and earnings comments added to the rapidly building momentum for the new technology.

Intuitive Surgical used its April call to share details on the launch of the da Vinci 5 soft tissue surgical robot. The robotics leader announced FDA clearance for da Vinci 5 in March, adding a twist to the soft tissue market. While Intuitive executives were positive about the early launch of the system, they cautioned that placements could be choppy as the company works on the supply chain.

Orthopedics firms like Stryker and Zimmer Biomet also focused on surgical robots on their calls, providing new product updates for investors and reporting record sales.

Stryker CEO Kevin Lobo called surgical robots the “gift that will keep on giving.”

Finally, Dexcom detailed plans for the summer launch of its over-the-counter continuous glucose monitor, called Stelo. CEO Kevin Sayer said Dexcom will target the 25 million people in the U.S. who have Type 2 diabetes and are not taking insulin or who don’t have severe hypoglycemia.

Check out MedTech Dive’s latest earnings coverage for a more in-depth breakdown of the industry’s newest products and companies’ financial performance last quarter:

CEO Geoff Martha told investors there has already been “strong adoption” of PFA devices and the category will be a big part of Medtronic's revenue growth in fiscal year 2025. Read the full article ➔

Diabetes tech companies shared updates on new products, largely focused on Type 2 patients, in Q1 earnings calls. Read the full article ➔

Stryker, Zimmer and Globus reported double-digit sales growth in their robot segments and outlined plans for new products. Read the full article ➔

CEO Roy Jakobs said on a first-quarter earnings call that “for the U.S., this is as final as it can get.” Read the full article ➔

New mitral and tricuspid valve treatments are attracting strong demand, but analysts said transcatheter aortic valve replacement sales were shy of expectations. Read the full article ➔

CEO Mike Mahoney would not provide specific sales numbers for the device, but hyped the pulsed field ablation system as the “most transformational product” he’s seen in his time with the company. Read the full article ➔

While Intuitive has already placed eight new surgical robots, executives cautioned system placements could be choppy in the coming months. Read the full article ➔

CEO Robert Ford highlighted new and upcoming products throughout the earnings call, calling the recently approved Triclip valve a “billion-dollar opportunity." Read the full article ➔

After Johnson & Johnson has doled out more than $30 billion for Abiomed, Laminar and Shockwave Medical, are more medtech deals on the way? Read the full article ➔