Johnson & Johnson (J&J) has recently announced the launch of its Javelin intravascular lithotripsy (IVL) catheter in Europe, following its successful launch in the US in March 2025. IVL has grown rapidly since its introduction in Europe in 2015, with additional product launches in the region in 2018 and a US launch in 2021. J&J has emerged as the clear leader for IVL, as competing devices remain in the clinical development stage. With the introduction of the Javelin catheter to Europe, it is likely that J&J will see continued growth in its IVL portfolio and maintain its dominance in the space, says GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

The Javelin catheter is J&J’s latest advancement in its IVL portfolio. Shockwave Medical, the subsidiary of J&J responsible for its IVL devices, has been the only major player in the IVL market since 2015. J&J acquired the company in early 2024, incorporating it into J&J’s medtech division. Other large companies have either announced their own development of IVL devices or acquired smaller companies working in the same therapeutic area.

David Beauchamp, Medical Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “A competing device from Abbott is currently in research and development (R&D) stage, while Boston Scientific announced its acquisition of Bolt Medical and its pipeline IVL devices in early 2025. However, neither company has yet had a product reach the commercial market. With no other IVL devices currently on the market, it is likely that this product launch will continue to cement J&J’s market lead within the IVL space.”

According to estimates from GlobalData’s Device Approval Analyzer, market approval of competing products from Abbott and Boston Scientific could take until 2028 to be commercially available. This provides J&J with a commanding lead in both overall sales and research time, with all current sales in the IVL market being Shockwave catheters. Abbott and Boston Scientific will have to demonstrate a significant improvement in clinical outcomes or cost for doctors to switch over to a new device compared to one with proven reliability.

Beauchamp concludes: “In the current and near-future IVL market, it is unlikely that J&J will have any major competition. Until large medtech manufacturers can reach market with their own devices, IVL treatments will continue to use Shockwave catheters. With the clinical success and ease of use of these devices, it remains likely that the IVL market will grow further. With current market conditions, J&J will continue its decade-long lead and dominance in the IVL market.”