Asthmatx

About Asthmatx

Asthmatx, Inc., founded in 2003, operated as a privately-held medical device company focused on developing treatments for severe asthma. A key figure in the company was Glen French, who served as Chief Executive Officer and was also a co-founder. His career, which includes co-founding Broncus Technologies and holding various commercial roles at C.R. Bard and American Hospital Supply Corporation, demonstrates a long-standing involvement in the medical device industry.

The company's core business involved the design, manufacture, and marketing of the Alair® Bronchial Thermoplasty System. This system is a catheter-based medical device developed for adult patients whose severe persistent asthma is not adequately controlled with standard drug therapies like inhaled corticosteroids and long-acting beta-agonists. The Alair system was the first device-based treatment for asthma to receive approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in April 2010. The procedure, known as bronchial thermoplasty, is an outpatient treatment that uses a flexible bronchoscope to deliver controlled thermal energy to the airway walls. This process reduces the amount of excess airway smooth muscle, thereby lessening the muscle's ability to constrict the airways, which is a primary issue for asthma sufferers. Clinical trials demonstrated significant benefits, including a reduction in severe asthma attacks, emergency room visits, and hospitalizations.

Asthmatx's journey culminated in a major milestone in October 2010, when it was acquired by Boston Scientific Corporation. The acquisition involved an upfront payment of $193.5 million, with potential for an additional $250 million based on revenue milestones through 2019. Following the acquisition, Asthmatx became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Boston Scientific, which aimed to leverage its sales and marketing expertise to expand the reach of the Alair System to a larger number of physicians and patients.