Ample Medical

Ample Medical was a medical device company based in Foster City, California, that specialized in the development of transcatheter mitral valve repair technologies. Founded in 2004 by Dr. Amir Belson, the company focused on creating a percutaneous solution for treating mitral regurgitation, a condition where the heart's mitral valve does not close tightly. Their flagship technology was designed to allow clinicians to repair the valve through a catheter-based approach, significantly reducing the invasiveness compared to traditional open-heart surgery. The company's innovative approach to structural heart disease attracted significant venture capital and industry interest. In April 2007, Medtronic acquired Ample Medical for approximately $50 million to integrate its technology into Medtronic's structural heart division. This acquisition was part of a broader industry trend toward developing less invasive treatments for valvular heart disease.