3M elbows further into anti-infection medical market with buyout

With its latest acquisition, 3M hopes to raise its profile in the medical industry, specifically one part of it: the growing anti-infection business.

The Maplewood manufacturing giant announced in a release today that it's reached a "definitive agreement" to buy Ivera Medical Corp., a San Diego, California maker of of "health care products that disinfect and protect devices used for access into a patient's bloodstream."

The release mentions that such products could help prevent HAIs – hospital acquired infections.

The fight against such infections, which can come from catheters and intravenous products, is apparently a lucrative one. The "infection prevention" market is a fast-growing part of the medical business, as HAIs and other complications lead to publicity nightmares and malpractice lawsuits every year, according to the Star Tribune.

The paper cites research indicating the U.S. infection prevention market could grow to $24 billion in 2018.

Ivera is known for its Curos Brand I.V. port connector caps. 3M didn't say how much the buyout will cost them.