Quasar Medical Acquires Medres’ Nitinol Design & Manufacturing Center

Quasar Medical, a contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) specializing in minimally invasive devices, has acquire the Medres’ nitinol design and development center in San Diego, California.

The transaction includes the 10,000-square-foot site, which was established in 2024, with dedicated nitinol operations, engineering talent, and manufacturing capabilities. Medres International will continue to operate its remaining business independently.

As demand grows for more sophisticated minimally invasive devices, Nitinol remains a critical enabling technology. Integrating the San Diego team into Quasar’s global engineering and manufacturing network expands customers’ access to technical expertise, accelerates product development, and provides a seamless path from concept to commercial manufacturing at Quasar’s Tecate, Mexico facility, just one hour from San Diego.

The company will now be able to provide advanced design, development, prototyping, process optimization, and precision manufacturing capabilities, including laser cutting, shape setting, and electropolishing. Early engineering collaboration is now combines with Quasar’s expertise in catheters, balloons, steerable systems, microsensors, and complex assemblies.

Last month, the company opened a new manufacturing facility in Chonburi, Thailand.

Comments from Quasar and Medres execs

Alex Wallstein, CEO, Quasar: “The acquisition of the San Diego Nitinol Design and Development Center represents a step change as part of Quasar’s long-term growth strategy. Nitinol is a foundational technology for many of today’s most advanced devices, both in minimally invasive disposables and implantables. Leading the integration of the new San Diego site with our other development centers in Israel and Galway will be no other than Christine Trepanier, our SVP Technology and a recognized leader in surface technology. In addition, we are adding visionary talent, including Tom Duerig, Senior Advisor, who introduced Nitinol to medical devices as founder of NDC. This is a significant upgrade of Quasar to a whole new level of expertise.”

Dr. Chris Cheng, chairman and CEO, Medres: “We are excited about the future of the Nitinol Center we built within Medres. We are confident that under the stewardship of Quasar, the Nitinol Center in San Diego will thrive with dramatically increased resources and customer reach to achieve its full potential. While Medres will fully support Quasar in the transition, the divestiture of this site also enables Medres to focus on the growth of our headquarters in Hungary.”