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Going More Than Skin Deep Into Merz’s Ulthera Acquisition

New Enterprise Associates registered one of its biggest returns ever when Merz agreed to pay up to $600 million for aesthetics company Ulthera. CEO Matthew Likens and lead investor Justin Klein, MD, discuss specifics about the blockbuster deal.

As the hurdles for regulatory approval and reimbursement have risen higher, medtech investors often have pursued investments in aesthetics companies. In contrast to more traditional medtech, aesthetics companies typically aren’t required to conduct stringent clinical testing as they can bring a product to market with a 510(k) notification from the Food and Drug Administration. Also, patients eager to maintain the appearance of youth and good health are willing to pay for procedures out of their own pockets. This enables aesthetics companies to avoid the byzantine reimbursement process.

However, for venture investors, the lowest hanging fruit isn’t always the most nutritious. Venture capital investment exits from aesthetics companies...

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