The acquisition gives J&J access to a device that uses shockwaves to break down calcified plaque in heart vessels, similar to how kidney stones are treated. The conglomerate is focusing on building its cardiac health business and spent $16.6 billion to buy heart pump maker Abiomed in 2022 and $400 million to buy another heart-centric device maker Laminar. Shockwave's catheter-based treatment known as intravascular lithotripsy (IVL) is used, often in combination with stents, to treat two heart conditions in which arteries get clogged with calcium deposits.