Vygon Group Acquires PILOT to Expand Its Portfolio in Vascular Access Solutions

VCBeat (WeChat ID: vcbeat) learned from foreign media that on October 21, 2019, the French medical device company Vygon Group (Vygon) announced the acquisition of Pilot, an Italian company specializing in the development of ECG-guided devices. The financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

Through this transaction, Vygon will acquire the ECG positioning and navigation technology for the Pilot TLS product, which enables precise localization of the distal tip of central venous catheters, including in patients with atrial fibrillation.

Therefore, Vygon will be able to offer its international customers a comprehensive range of intravascular therapy solutions, such as implantable ports, PICC lines, midline catheters, and central venous catheters, as well as devices like the Vysion XS ultrasound system and the ECG Pilot TLS system, to ensure the safety of treatment procedures.

The newly piloted Pilot TLS system provides practitioners with a comprehensive solution, offering unique market appeal especially when combined with CT PICC simple catheters featuring distinctive proximal trimming capabilities and implantable ports.

Pilot TLS pilot production will take place at Vygon’s production and development facility near Montpellier, France, which specializes in manufacturing active medical devices.

The Piolt TLS ECG Lead System is an alternative to X-ray fluoroscopy imaging. This technology ensures the safe and accurate insertion of central venous catheters by confirming the correct position of the distal catheter tip at the cavoatrial junction. Consequently, this technology significantly reduces the risk of repeated X-ray exposure for patients (especially pediatric patients) and healthcare professionals during treatment.

According to foreign media reports, the Piolt TLS is currently the only device on the market that offers a specific mode for patients with atrial fibrillation. This condition affects approximately 10% of the elderly population and about 28% of cancer patients, with the prevalence varying depending on the type of cancer. The Piolt TLS system is one of the few certified ECG-based intravascular guidance systems suitable for patients across all age groups, from neonates to adults.

Vygon CEO Stéphane Regnault stated, “This new acquisition is part of our Group’s external growth strategy. Over the past three years, we have been collaborating with Pilot. The internalization of the ECG guidance system will expand our product pipeline in international markets, enabling us to offer endovascular therapy products globally.”

Vygon, founded in 1962 and currently led by CEO Stéphane Regnault, specializes in the manufacturing and sales of high-tech disposable medical devices. The Group employs 2,350 people worldwide and reported a turnover of €323 million (approximately $365 million) in 2018.

Vygon is divided into five business divisions: Neonatal Intensive Care, Enteral Nutrition, Obstetrics (Intravascular Therapy), Surgery (Anesthesia), and Emergency Care. The Group has 26 subsidiaries and a distribution network of 331 distributors, distributing more than 205 million products annually in over 120 countries and regions.

(Compiled by He Li)