Stryker Acquires University of Michigan Startup Amplitude Vascular Systems
6/25/2026
Amplitude Vascular Systems (AVS), a University of Michigan startup focused on addressing arterial calcification, was recently acquired for up to $835 million by Stryker, a global leader in the field of medical technology with its worldwide headquarters in Portage, Michigan. The acquisition is expected to accelerate the AVS Pulse IVL System’s path to broader clinical use and expand access for patients with calcified arterial disease.
Arterial calcification is a leading contributor to cardiovascular disease. As calcium hardens within arteries, it can restrict blood flow and increase the risk of heart attack and stroke. To treat this disease state, AVS has developed a novel approach to treating calcified arterial disease using the Pulse IVL System.
“When arteries become hardened by calcium, it can make treatment more challenging and limit how well we’re able to restore blood flow,” said Hitinder Gurm, Park Willis III Legacy Professor in Cardiovascular Medicine, professor of internal medicine and Chief Medical Officer, U-M Health. “What’s promising about Pulse IVL is that it’s designed to break up calcium in a way that helps the artery open more effectively and potentially improve outcomes for patients with complex disease. Moving this technology toward broader global adoption through Stryker’s worldwide reach would not have been possible without the remarkable resources offered at the University of Michigan.”
The Pulse IVL System uses pulsatile intravascular lithotripsy (PIVL) therapy, which utilizes hydraulic pulse waves delivered through a balloon catheter to break apart calcium buildups within arteries. Once the calcium is fragmented, the same balloon gently expands the artery, restoring blood flow.
“The acquisition of AVS by Stryker, a global leader in medical technology headquartered in Michigan, reflects the extraordinary power of innovation emerging from our state to shape the future of patient care,” said Kelly Sexton, associate vice president for research – innovation partnerships and economic impact at U-M. “By combining cutting-edge engineering and clinical expertise, the team at AVS has developed a breakthrough technology that offers new hope for patients facing calcified arterial disease. This milestone underscores the impact that university innovations can have in advancing medical solutions that improve lives around the world.”
Pulse IVL technology stemmed from an interdisciplinary collaboration between Albert Shih, Yoram Koren Collegiate Professor of Engineering in mechanical engineering and biomedical engineering and Gurm. Former doctoral student in Shih’s Biomedical Manufacturing and Design Lab and now AVS chief technology officer, Robert Chisena, led the basic research and development.
A key catalyst in translating the technology from the lab toward the clinic was support from the Michigan Translational Research and Commercialization (MTRAC) Life Sciences Innovation Hub, a statewide program that supports translational research projects with high commercial potential. The AVS team received both Kickstart (early-stage) and MTRAC (mid-stage) funding, which helped the team generate critical proof-of-concept and validation data, sharpen the clinical use case and define the development and regulatory pathway. This work was instrumental in shaping the company’s early identity and positioning the technology to be appreciated by a Michigan-based healthcare investment firm, BioStar Capital, to advance toward the startup phase.
“AVS demonstrates the strength of Michigan’s innovation ecosystem and the importance of helping promising university technologies move from the lab toward the market,” said Ben Marchionna, chief innovation ecosystem officer at the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. “MEDC is proud to support programs like MTRAC that provide critical early funding and commercialization guidance. This milestone shows how targeted investment in translational research can help Michigan-born medical technologies attract global partners and ultimately reach more patients.”
The innovation was first recognized by the Michigan Business Challenge managed by the Zell Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurship in 2019. Receiving the grand prize was the first award for the startup.
“This innovation began as a collaboration between engineering and medicine for an idea from Dr. Gurm to solve a real clinical problem, but it moved forward because Michigan has a successful translational infrastructure to support promising medical device innovation technologies,” said Shih. “Support from MTRAC Kickstart and regular grants were very important as these grants in many ways defined the start of AVS. There are many remaining unmet clinical needs and opportunities that require collaborations between engineering and medicine, and AVS gives the Michigan medical device innovation community a good roadmap for success.”
Since its founding in 2019, AVS has progressed rapidly toward commercialization. In January 2025, the company closed a $36 million Series B funding round, which included the Michigan Biomedical Venture Fund, to support an upcoming U.S. peripheral commercial launch and a U.S. Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) trial evaluating the Pulse IVL System in coronary and carotid applications. The IDE trial, POWER PAD II, began in late 2025 and has reported positive results in the first 95 patients treated. Recently, the company announced that it had enrolled patients in its first-in-human coronary IVL trial, POWER-CAD I.
“One of the most rewarding parts of leading AVS has been witnessing the real-world impact we are having on patients,” said Chisena. “We’ve seen life-changing outcomes emerge from our clinical trials. We’re confident that, through the acquisition by Stryker, we will be able to accelerate our technology and improve care for the patients we serve.”
Chisena, Gurm, Shih and U-M have a financial interest in Amplitude Vascular Systems.