CVS agrees to buy Aetna in $69 billion deal that could shake up health-care industry

 December 3, 2017

Pharmacy giant CVS Health has agreed to buy Aetna in a $69 billion blockbuster acquisition that could rein in health-care costs and transform its 9,700 pharmacy storefronts into community medical hubs for primary care and basic procedures, the companies announced Sunday afternoon.

The pharmacy chain agreed to buy Aetna for about $207 per share, broken down into $145 in cash and the rest in stock. The deal — the biggest health-care merger announced in more than a year — is expected to close in the second half of 2018, subject to approval by shareholders and regulators.

If approved, the megamerger would create a giant consumer health-care company with a familiar presence in thousands of communities. Aetna chief executive Mark T. Bertolini described the vision in an interview as “creating a new front door for health care in America.”

“We want to get closer to the community, because all health care is local,” Bertolini said. “What was going to draw people into an Aetna store? Probably not a lot. We looked for the right kind of partnership.”

CVS would provide a broad range of health services to Aetna’s 22 million medical members at its nationwide network of pharmacies and walk-in clinics, and further decrease the drugstore titan’s reliance on the retail sales that have faced increasing competition.

“You can imagine a world where health care is better designed around the people who use it, which is one of the challenges we have today,” CVS chief executive Larry J. Merlo said in an interview. As part of the deal, Bertolini would join the CVS board and Aetna would be run as a stand-alone business unit.

The deal is likely to set off even more mergers in the health-care industry, which has been undergoing consolidation and faces potential new competition from Amazon.com. It could position Aetna to be more competitive with UnitedHealth Group, the nation’s largest insurer, which has already expanded beyond its core business into pharmacy-care services, clinics and surgery-care centers and health-care data.

 

READ THE REST HERE

Pedicle Screw Systems Market to Witness Growth Acceleration During 2017 – 2027

12-03-2017-Open PR, Health & Medicine/Future Market Insights

Over the last two decades, there has been a significant progress in the pedicle screw instrumentation technique for the spine. The use of pedicle screws has gradually progressed from the use in the lumbar spine to their use in more complex anatomy such as the thoracic and thoracolumbar level. The pedicular screws have several advantages over the conventional rod and hook constructs. The pedicular screw allows spinal arthrodesis stability and offers three column control over the spinal elements thereby improving deformation. The placement of the pedicle screw is independent of the laminar integrity thereby expanding its application to a different level of spinal pathologies such as degenerative, oncologic, degenerative and deformity correction.

Report Overview: www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/pedicle-screw-system…

Pedicle Screw Systems Market: Drivers and Restraints

The pedicle screw market is expected to boom owing to the increasing prevalence rate of arthritis and the aging population. As age increases bone becomes fragile and is prone to more wear and tear. The field of orthopedics has thus grown significantly in recent years and doctors are now acquainted with procedures and equipment which can save more lives. Moreover, healthcare providers are using healthcare data to gather information about the various characteristics of the orthopedic patient and their health outcome. Using mathematical analysis, the patient characteristics help predict the possible outcomes from a surgery.

 

READ THE REST HERE

Globus Medical Announces Clinical Results Showing Superiority of its SECURE-C® to ACDF at Seven Years

AUDUBON, Pa., Nov. 30, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Globus Medical, Inc. (NYSE:GMED), a leading musculoskeletal solutions company, today announced the results of its seven-year clinical trial follow-up that demonstrate superiority of the SECURE-C® Cervical Artificial Disc over the current standard for the treatment of cervical disc disease, anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF), based on overall success.  SECURE-C® is designed for disc reconstruction and motion preservation at the operated disc level, unlike traditional motion-eliminating fusion surgery.

“The long-term evidence shown in this study confirms the outstanding results I have seen in my own patients treated with SECURE-C®,” said Dr. William Beutler, neurosurgeon at the Pennsylvania Spine Institute. “SECURE-C®’s integrated keel is designed for optimal placement and migration resistance, allowing my patients to better maintain their active lifestyles. SECURE-C® is proven to be a superior treatment option to fusion for patients with cervical disc disease.”

The prospective, randomized Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) trial involved a total of 380 study subjects (240 investigational and 140 control) to compare the safety and effectiveness of SECURE-C® to ACDF using a cervical plate and structural allograft for patients with intractable symptomatic cervical disc disease (SCDD) at a single level in the cervical spine.  At seven years post-surgery, SECURE-C®patients reported greater overall satisfaction with surgery and exhibited the following:

  • Statistically superior composite overall success results (86.3%) compared to ACDF patients (70.0%);
  • Greater improvement in pain and function based on the Neck Disability Index (90.4%) versus ACDF patients (86.0%);
  • Lower rate of subsequent surgery (4.2%) at the original treated level compared to ACDF patients (15.3%); and
  • Lower rate of adjacent level surgery (4.2%) versus ACDF patients (16.0%).

“The seven-year clinical study findings provide further evidence for statistical superiority of SECURE-C® to ACDF in terms of overall success, bolstering the long term data on cervical arthroplasty,” said Kelly Baker, Ph.D., Senior Vice President of Regulatory and Clinical Affairs. “We are excited to release these findings as Globus continues to bring innovative engineering and superior clinical devices to spine surgeons and their patients.”

Indications 
The SECURE-C® Cervical Artificial Disc is indicated in skeletally mature patients for reconstruction of the disc at one level from C3-C7 following single-level discectomy for intractable radiculopathy (arm pain and/or a neurological deficit) with or without neck pain or myelopathy due to a single-level abnormality localized to the disc space and at least one of the following conditions confirmed by radiographic imaging (CT, MRI, X-rays): herniated nucleus pulposus, spondylosis (defined by the presence of osteophytes), and/or visible loss of disc height as compared to adjacent levels. The SECURE-C® Cervical Artificial Disc is implanted using an anterior approach. Patients should have failed at least 6 weeks of conservative treatment prior to implantation of the SECURE-C® Cervical Artificial Disc.

About Globus Medical, Inc.
Globus Medical, Inc. is a leading musculoskeletal solutions company based in Audubon, PA. The company was founded in 2003 by an experienced team of professionals with a shared vision to create products that enable surgeons to promote healing in patients with musculoskeletal disorders. Additional   information can be accessed at http://www.globusmedical.com

Safe Harbor Statements
All statements included in this press release other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements and may be identified by their use of words such as “believe,” “may,” “might,” “could,” “will,” “aim,” “estimate,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “expect,” “plan” and other similar terms. These forward-looking statements are based on our current assumptions, expectations and estimates of future events and trends. Forward-looking statements are only predictions and are subject to many risks, uncertainties and other factors that may affect our businesses and operations and could cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, factors affecting our quarterly results, our ability to manage our growth, our ability to sustain our profitability, demand for our products, our ability to compete successfully (including without limitation our ability to convince surgeons to use our products and our ability to attract and retain sales and other personnel), our ability to rapidly develop and introduce new products, our ability to develop and execute on successful business strategies, our ability to comply with changing laws and regulations that are applicable to our businesses, our ability to safeguard our intellectual property, our success in defending legal proceedings brought against us, trends in the medical device industry, general economic conditions, and other risks. For a discussion of these and other risks, uncertainties and other factors that could affect our results, you should refer to the disclosure contained in our most recent annual report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the sections labeled “Risk Factors” and “Cautionary Note Concerning Forward-Looking Statements,” and in our Forms 10-Q, Forms 8-K and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These documents are available at www.sec.gov. Moreover, we operate in an evolving environment. New risk factors and uncertainties emerge from time to time and it is not possible for us to predict all risk factors and uncertainties, nor can we assess the impact of all factors on its business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements. Given these risks and uncertainties, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date of this press release. We undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statements as a result of new information, events or circumstances or other factors arising or coming to our attention after the date hereof.

Contact:
Dan Scavilla
Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Phone: (610) 930-1800
Email: investors@globusmedical.com
www.globusmedical.com

SeaSpine Announces FDA 510(k) Clearance of OsteoBallast™ Demineralized Bone Matrix in Resorbable Mesh

CARLSBAD, Calif., Nov. 30, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — SeaSpine Holdings Corporation (NASDAQ:SPNE), a global medical technology company focused on surgical solutions for the treatment of spinal disorders, today announced that it has received 510(k) clearance from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use of its OsteoBallast™ Demineralized Bone Matrix (DBM) in Resorbable Mesh.

The OsteoBallast product is the latest innovation in SeaSpine’s orthobiologics portfolio that is designed to facilitate fusion.  OsteoBallast, which consists of a resorbable mesh containing 100% DBM without a carrier, simplifies graft placement and helps prevent graft migration while maximizing DBM content. OsteoBallast is designed to provide surgeons with a simple means for delivering bone graft in posterior spine surgery that contours to the local anatomy while maintaining shape and volume under compression. The simplified technique is particularly valuable in MIS procedures, where placing the graft accurately through tubes and small incisions can be challenging.

“This product demonstrates SeaSpine’s continued commitment to innovation and our focus on delivering improved procedural spine solutions and clinical value through cost-effective orthobiologics,” commented Tyler Lipschultz, SeaSpine’s Vice President of Orthobiologics and Business Development. “Coupled with the recent launch of our OsteoStrand™ Demineralized Bone Fibers product and our established Accell Bone Matrix (ABM) technology, SeaSpine now can offer surgeons additional options to address the varied needs of their patients.”

SeaSpine plans to launch the OsteoBallast product with a limited release by year-end and full commercial launch by mid-2018.

About SeaSpine
SeaSpine (www.seaspine.com) is a global medical technology company focused on the design, development and commercialization of surgical solutions for the treatment of patients suffering from spinal disorders. SeaSpine has a comprehensive portfolio of orthobiologics and spinal implants solutions to meet the varying combinations of products that neurosurgeons and orthopedic spine surgeons need to perform fusion procedures on the lumbar, thoracic and cervical spine. SeaSpine’s orthobiologics products consist of a broad range of advanced and traditional bone graft substitutes that are designed to improve bone fusion rates following a wide range of orthopedic surgeries, including spine, hip, and extremities procedures. SeaSpine’s spinal implant portfolio consists of an extensive line of products to facilitate spinal fusion in minimally invasive surgery (MIS), complex spine, deformity and degenerative procedures. Expertise in both orthobiologic sciences and spinal fusion hardware product development helps SeaSpine to offer its surgeon customers a complete solution to meet their fusion requirements. SeaSpine currently markets its products in the United States and in over 30 countries worldwide.

Forward-Looking Statements

SeaSpine cautions you that statements included in this news release that are not a description of historical facts are forward-looking statements that are based on the Company’s current expectations and assumptions. Such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements relating to: the features and potential benefits of OsteoBallast DBM in Resorbable Mesh, including its ability to provide surgeons a simple means for delivering bone graft in posterior spine surgeries and help prevent graft migration during posterolateral fusion, as well as contour to local anatomy and maintain shape and volume under compression; and the timing of limited and full commercial launches of OsteoBallast DBM in Resorbable Mesh.  Among the factors that could cause or contribute to material differences between our actual results and the expectations indicated by our forward-looking statements are risks and uncertainties that include, but are not limited to: the fact that OsteoBallast DBM in Resorbable Mesh has not been validated clinically, may not address adequately surgeon requirements, and may require substantial additional development activities, which could introduce unexpected expense and delay, including potentially requiring resubmission of one or more products to FDA for clearance, which clearance cannot be certain, whether on a timely basis or at all; surgeons’ willingness to use OsteoBallast DBM in Resorbable Mesh; the risk that OsteoBallast DBM in Resorbable Mesh may not demonstrate adequate safety or efficacy, including improved fusion, independently or relative to competitive products, to support a full commercial launch; the risk of supply shortages, including as a result of our dependence on a limited number of third-party suppliers for components and raw materials, or otherwise; and other risks and uncertainties more fully described in our news releases and periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company’s public filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission are available at www.sec.gov.

You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date when made. SeaSpine does not intend to revise or update any forward-looking statement set forth in this news release to reflect events or circumstances arising after the date hereof, except as may be required by law.

Investor Relations Contact
Lynn Pieper
(415) 937-5402
ir@seaspine.com

Implanet Announces: Liquidity Contract Transferred From ODDO Corporate Finance to Tradition Securities And Futures (TSAF)

November 30, 2017

BORDEAUX, France & BOSTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Regulatory News:

IMPLANET (Paris:IMPL) (OTCQX:IMPZY) (Euronext Growth: IMPL, FR0010458729, PEA-PME eligible; OTCQX: IMPZY), a medical technology company specializing in vertebral and knee-surgery implants, today is announcing that it has transferred the liquidity contract previously entered into with Oddo Corporate Finance to Tradition Securities And Futures (TSAF) effective December 1, 2017.

The liquidity contract entered into with TSAF complies with the AMAFI Code of Conduct for Liquidity Contracts approved by the Autorité des Marchés Financiers on March 21, 2011. The liquidity contract has been agreed for a term of one year to enhance the liquidity of trading in Implanet shares (ISIN code: FR0010458729 – Ticker: ALIMP) listed on the Euronext Growth Paris market.

The following funds and assets have been set aside for the implementation of this contract:

• €36,689.25 in cash

• 153,000 Implanet shares

About IMPLANET
Founded in 2007, IMPLANET is a medical technology company that manufactures high-quality implants for orthopedic surgery. Its flagship product, the JAZZ® latest-generation implant, aims to treat spinal pathologies requiring vertebral fusion surgery. Protected by four families of international patents, JAZZ® has obtained 510(k) regulatory clearance from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States and the CE mark. IMPLANET employs 48 staff and recorded 2016 sales of €7.8 million. For further information, please visit www.implanet.com.
Based near Bordeaux in France, IMPLANET established a US subsidiary in Boston in 2013.
IMPLANET is listed on Euronext™ Growth market in Paris. The Company would like to remind that the table for monitoring the BEOCABSA, OCA, BSA and the number of shares outstanding, is available on its website: http://www.implanet-invest.com/suivi-des-actions-80

Contacts

IMPLANET
Ludovic Lastennet
CEO
Tel. : +33 (0)5 57 99 55 55
investors@implanet.com
or
NewCap
Investor Relations
Julie Coulot
Tel. : +33 (0)1 44 71 20 40
implanet@newcap.eu
or
NewCap
Media Relations
Nicolas Merigeau
Tel. : +33 (0)1 44 71 94 98
implanet@newcap.eu
or
AlphaBronze
US-Investor Relations
Pascal Nigen
Tel.: +1 917 385 21 60
implanet@alphabronze.net

K2M Announces Completion of 300 RHINE™ Cervical Disc System Surgical Cases

LEESBURG, Va., Nov. 30, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — K2M Group Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:KTWO) (the “Company” or “K2M”), a global leader of complex spine and minimally invasive solutions focused on achieving three-dimensional Total Body Balance, today announced the completion of 300 surgical cases using the RHINE Cervical Disc System*. The announcement was made during the 12th Annual Meeting of the German Spine Society, occurring November 30–December 2, 2017, in Stuttgart, where the Company will exhibit its comprehensive product portfolio and the Balance ACS® (BACS®) platform at Stand #73.

The RHINE Cervical Disc System* is an artificial disc replacement that features a one-piece compressible polymer core design with dome-shaped, plasma-coated endplates and a central-split keel. Proprietary molding technology is incorporated to minimize wear between the polymer core and metal endplates. The system’s instrumentation simplifies spinal surgery by integrating trialing and keel cutting into one instrument. A built-in adjustable stop allows for customized anterior or posterior positioning of the disc based on surgeon preference.

“The RHINE Cervical Disc was designed to mimic the characteristics of a normal healthy disc,” said Dr. Ardavan Ardeshiri, a neurosurgeon and spine surgeon at the Hessing Klinik in Augsburg, Germany, and an Investigator of the RHINE Cervical Disc Prospective Observational Clinical Study. “The product design, combined with easy-to-use modular instrumentation and a simple surgical technique, provides surgeons with an advanced solution for cervical disc replacement.”

The RHINE Cervical Disc Prospective Observational Clinical Study is presently gathering additional operative data and feedback to confirm device performance, including radiographic data and clinical outcomes.

“K2M is proud to acknowledge the 300 surgeries that have been completed using our RHINE Cervical Disc System*,” said K2M Chairman, President, and CEO Eric Major. “RHINE, which received a CE Mark last year, is an advancement in cervical disc technology, and its continued commercialization and clinical validation in Europe is an important piece of our corporate strategy. We look forward to showcasing RHINE, our Balance ACS platform, and many of our innovative spinal solutions at this year’s meeting of the German Spine Society.”

K2M to Exhibit Spinal Innovations and Balance ACS Platform

In addition to the RHINE Cervical Disc System*, K2M will showcase differentiated spinal technologies from its comprehensive complex spine, minimally invasive, and degenerative portfolios. These products include the 3D-printed CASCADIA Interbody Systems featuring K2M’s Lamellar 3D Titanium Technology, the EVEREST® Minimally Invasive XT Spinal System, the NILE® Alternative Fixation and NILE Proximal Fixation Spinal Systems, the MESA® Deformity Spinal System, the SAHARA® AL Expandable Stabilization System, and more.

K2M will also feature its Balance ACS platform, which provides solutions focused on achieving balance of the spine by addressing each anatomical vertebral segment with a 360-degree approach to the axial, coronal, and sagittal planes, emphasizing Total Body Balance as an important component of surgical success. K2M will demo the BACS Surgical Planner, a surgical image measuring technology that assists in planning and preoperative implant selection.

For more information on K2M’s complete product portfolio, visit www.K2M.com. For more information on Balance ACS, visit www.BACS.com.

*This product is intended for export and is not sold or offered for sale in the United States.

About K2M

K2M Group Holdings, Inc. is a global leader of complex spine and minimally invasive solutions focused on achieving three-dimensional Total Body Balance. Since its inception, K2M has designed, developed, and commercialized innovative complex spine and minimally invasive spine technologies and techniques used by spine surgeons to treat some of the most complicated spinal pathologies. K2M has leveraged these core competencies into Balance ACS, a platform of products, services, and research to help surgeons achieve three-dimensional spinal balance across the axial, coronal, and sagittal planes, with the goal of supporting the full continuum of care to facilitate quality patient outcomes. The Balance ACS platform, in combination with the Company’s technologies, techniques and leadership in the 3D-printing of spinal devices, enable K2M to compete favorably in the global spinal surgery market. For more information, visit www.K2M.com and connect with us on FacebookTwitterInstagramLinkedIn and YouTube.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements that reflect current views with respect to, among other things, operations and financial performance.  Forward-looking statements include all statements that are not historical facts such as our statements about our expected financial results and guidance and our expectations for future business prospects.  In some cases, you can identify these forward-looking statements by the use of words such as, “outlook,” “guidance,” “believes,” “expects,” “potential,” “continues,” “may,” “will,” “should,” “could,” “seeks,” “predicts,” “intends,” “plans,” “estimates,” “anticipates” or the negative version of these words or other comparable words.  Such forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties including, among other things: our ability to achieve or sustain profitability in the future; our ability to demonstrate to spine surgeons the merits of our products and retain their use of our products; pricing pressures and our ability to compete effectively generally in our industry; collaboration and consolidation in hospital purchasing; inadequate coverage and reimbursement for our products from third-party payors; lack of long-term clinical data supporting the safety and efficacy of our products; dependence on a limited number of third-party suppliers; our ability to maintain and expand our network of direct sales employees, independent sales agencies and international distributors and their level of sales or distribution activity with respect to our products; proliferation of physician-owned distributorships in the industry; decline in the sale of certain key products; loss of key personnel; our ability to enhance our product offerings through research and development; our ability to manage expected growth; our ability to successfully acquire or invest in new or complementary businesses, products or technologies; our ability to educate surgeons on the safe and appropriate use of our products; costs associated with high levels of inventory; impairment of our goodwill and intangible assets; disruptions to our corporate headquarters and operations facilities or critical information technology systems, distributors or surgeon users; our ability to ship a sufficient number of our products to meet demand; our ability to strengthen our brand; fluctuations in insurance cost and availability; our ability to comply with extensive governmental regulation within the United States and foreign jurisdictions; our ability  to maintain or obtain regulatory approvals and clearances within the United States and foreign jurisdictions; voluntary corrective actions by us or our distribution or other business partners or agency enforcement actions; recalls or serious safety issues with our products; enforcement actions by regulatory agencies for improper marketing or promotion; misuse or off-label use of our products; delays or failures in clinical trials and results of clinical trials; legal restrictions on our procurement, use, processing, manufacturing or distribution of allograft bone tissue; negative publicity concerning methods of tissue recovery and screening of donor tissue; costs and liabilities relating to environmental laws and regulations; our failure or the failure of our agents to comply with fraud and abuse laws; U.S. legislative or Food and Drug Administration regulatory reforms; adverse effects of medical device tax provisions; potential tax changes in jurisdictions in which we conduct business; our ability to generate significant sales; potential fluctuations in sales volumes and our results of operations over the course of the year; uncertainty in future capital needs and availability of capital to meet our needs; our level of indebtedness and the availability of borrowings under our credit facility; restrictive covenants and the impact of other provisions in the indenture governing our convertible  senior notes and our credit facility;  continuing worldwide economic instability; our ability to protect our intellectual property rights; patent litigation and product liability lawsuits; damages relating to trade secrets or non-competition or non-solicitation agreements; risks associated with operating internationally; fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates; our ability to comply with the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and similar laws; our ability to implement and maintain effective internal control over financial reporting; potential volatility in our stock price; our lack of current plans to pay cash dividends; our ability to take advantage of certain reduced disclosure requirements and exemptions as a result of being an emerging growth company; increased costs and additional regulations and requirements as a result of no longer qualifying as an emerging growth company as of December 31, 2017; potential dilution by the future issuances of additional common stock in connection with our incentive plans, acquisitions or otherwise; anti-takeover provisions in our organizational documents and our ability to issue preferred stock without shareholder approval; potential limits on our ability to use our net operating loss carryforwards; and other risks and uncertainties, including those described under the section entitled “Risk Factors” in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC and our Quarterly Report filed with the SEC on August 2, 2017, as such factors may be updated from time to time in our periodic filings with the SEC, which are accessible on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.  Accordingly, there are or will be important factors that could cause actual outcomes or results to differ materially from those indicated in these statements.  These factors should not be construed as exhaustive and should be read in conjunction with the other cautionary statements that are included in this release and our filings with the SEC.

We operate in a very competitive and challenging environment.  New risks and uncertainties emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for us to predict all risks and uncertainties that could have an impact on the forward-looking statements contained in this release.  We cannot assure you that the results, events and circumstances reflected in the forward-looking statements will be achieved or occur, and actual results, events or circumstances could differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements.

The forward-looking statements made in this press release relate only to events as of the date on which the statements are made.  We undertake no obligation to publicly update or review any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as required by law.  We may not actually achieve the plans, intentions or expectations disclosed in our forward-looking statements and you should not place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements. Unless specifically stated otherwise, our forward-looking statements do not reflect the potential impact of any future acquisitions, mergers, dispositions, joint ventures, investments or other strategic transactions we may make.

Media Contact:
Zeno Group on behalf of K2M Group Holdings, Inc.
Christian Emering, 212-299-8985
Christian.Emering@ZenoGroup.com

Investor Contact:
Westwicke Partners on behalf of K2M Group Holdings, Inc.
Mike Piccinino, CFA, 443-213-0500
K2M@westwicke.com

MiMedx Announces Expectation To Exceed Top End of Fourth Quarter Revenue Guidance Of $88 Million

MARIETTA, Ga.Nov. 30, 2017 /PRNewswire/ — MiMedx Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: MDXG), the leading biopharmaceutical company developing and marketing regenerative and therapeutic biologics utilizing human placental tissue allografts with patent-protected processes for multiple sectors of healthcare, announced today its preliminary expectation for fourth quarter of 2017 revenue to exceed the $88 million high end of its fourth quarter revenue guidance range.

Parker H. “Pete” Petit, Chairman and CEO, commented, “October and November have been very strong revenue months for the Company, and we expect our revenue performance in December to be equally strong.  With two-thirds of the fourth quarter completed, and as we enter December, our current revenue pace gives us confidence that we are in a position to announce that we expect to exceed $88 million in revenue for the fourth quarter of 2017 and surpass our previously published guidance for the fourth quarter and full year 2017. If we execute as expected, this will be the fourth straight quarter of exceeding the upper end of our guidance.”

Bill Taylor, President and COO, said, “Our sales leadership team has never been stronger, and we are extremely pleased with the momentum they continue to build.  Each quarter, we are improving efficiencies in our sales organization and increasing effectiveness in pursuing and capturing market opportunities.”

Petit added, “We look forward to reporting our 2017 fourth quarter and full year revenue in January and our 2017 financial results in late February. We are holding a meeting of our Board of Directors during the week of December 11thto finalize our 2018 budget, and we are also looking forward to announcing our 2018 guidance later in that week.”

About MiMedx
MiMedx® is the leading biopharmaceutical company developing and marketing regenerative and therapeutic biologics utilizing human placental tissue allografts with patent-protected processes for multiple sectors of healthcare. “Innovations in Regenerative Medicine” is the framework behind our mission to give physicians products and tissues to help the body heal itself.  We process the human placental tissue utilizing our proprietary PURION® Process among other processes, to produce safe and effective allografts.  MiMedx proprietary processing methodology employs aseptic processing techniques in addition to terminal sterilization.  MiMedx is the leading supplier of placental tissue, having supplied over 1 million allografts to date for application in the Wound Care, Burn, Surgical, Orthopedic, Spine, Sports Medicine, Ophthalmic and Dental sectors of healthcare. For additional information, please visit www.mimedx.com.

Important Cautionary Statement
This press release includes forward-looking statements, including statements regarding its revenue expectations for the 2017 fourth quarter and full year and its expectations regarding the timing of additional guidance. These statements also may be identified by words such as “believe,” “except,” “may,” “plan,” “potential,” “will” and similar expressions, and are based on our current beliefs and expectations. Forward-looking statements are subject to significant risks and uncertainties, and we caution investors against placing undue reliance on such statements.  Actual results may differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. Among the risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements include the risk that the Company’s revenue for the 2017 fourth quarter and full year may not materialize as expected; sales momentum may slow at the end of the year; and the Company may be unable to meet expected dates for future guidance. For more detailed information on the risks and uncertainties, please review the Risk Factors section of our most recent annual report or quarterly report filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.  Any forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release and we assume no obligation to update any forward-looking statement.

SOURCE MiMedx Group, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.mimedx.com

Rotation Medical Bioinductive Implant Promotes Consistent Rotator Cuff Healing, Mitigates Tear Progression

November 30, 2017

PLYMOUTH, Minn.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Rotation Medical Inc., a medical device company focused on developing new technologies to treat rotator cuff disease, today announced results of a study published online in the Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery that shows the company’s Bioinductive Implant consistently heals rotator cuff tears and mitigates tear progression. The Rotation Medical Bioinductive Implant is part of the company’s novel rotator cuff system for rotator cuff repair and a new alternative to traditional surgical repair.

“Partial thickness rotator cuff tears do not heal spontaneously and have a high propensity to increase in size and/or develop into full-thickness lesions,” said Theodore F. Schlegel, MD, lead investigator of the study and orthopedic surgeon at Steadman Hawkins Clinic Denver. “This study shows that the Bioinductive Implant not only repairs the tear and increases tendon thickness, but it also prevents tear progression. In addition, because the native tendon footprint remains intact around the location of the defect, the Bioinductive Implant may accelerate rehabilitation and recovery as compared with more conservative postoperative management when partial thickness lesions are taken down and repaired as full thickness tears.”

The study enrolled 33 patients with chronic, degenerative, intermediate- (n=12) to high-grade (n=21) partial-thickness tears (11 articular, 10 bursal, four intra-substance, eight hybrid) of the supraspinatus tendon. Clinical outcomes were assessed using American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) and Constant-Murley scores preoperatively and at three and 12 months postoperatively. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed to assess postoperative tendon healing and thickness at the original tear site. One-year results of the multi-center study include:

  • Clinical scores improved significantly (p<0.0001), and mean tendon thickness increased by 2.0 mm (p<0.0001); new tissue was indistinguishable from the underlying tendon.
  • 94 percent of patients experienced complete healing or considerable reduction in defect size; consistent partial to complete fill-in of the original bursal, intrasubstance and articular partial-thickness tear defects were observed as early as three months postoperatively, with sustained efficacy through 12 months.
  • 94 percent of patients either agreed or strongly agreed that they were satisfied with the results of their surgery.
  • No tears progressed to full-thickness in patients who followed the postoperative rehabilitation protocol.
  • No serious adverse events related to the implant were reported.

“In addition to further demonstrating that our Bioinductive Implant increases tendon thickness and prevents re-tears, we are pleased that the majority of patients in this study said they were satisfied with the results of their rotator cuff surgeries,” said Martha Shadan, president and CEO of Rotation Medical. “As health systems transition to value-based care, data like these are becoming increasingly necessary to demonstrate the effectiveness of medical devices on indicators such as patient satisfaction, in addition to key health economic drivers that we are measuring in our REBUILD Registry Study.”

The study, “Radiologic and clinical evaluation of a bioabsorbable collagen implant to treat partial-thickness tears: a prospective multi-center study,” adds to the growing body of literature supporting the use of the Rotation Medical Bioinductive Implant as a novel treatment for rotator cuff injury. Additional publications and information about the Rotation Medical rotator cuff system are available on the company’s website.

About Rotator Cuff Tears
Rotator cuff damage is the most common source of shoulder pain, affecting more than 4 million people annually in the U.S. Traditional approaches to treating degenerate or torn rotator cuffs often do not address the poor quality of the underlying tendon tissue, and a significant number of these tendons, after standard treatment, either degenerate further and/or re-tear.

About the Rotation Medical Bioinductive Implant
Cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in March 2014, the Rotation Medical Bioinductive Implant is designed to address both the biomechanics and biology required to heal a rotator cuff tendon tear by inducing new tissue growth at the site of implantation, resulting in increased tendon thickness and healing of tendon defects with new tissue growth. The collagen-based implant is about the size of a postage stamp and it is part of the Rotation Medical rotator cuff system, which also includes disposable instruments that allow the arthroscopic procedure to be performed easily and quickly. For important safety information, visit http://rotationmedical.com/our-solution/risks/.

About Rotation Medical
Rotation Medical Inc. was founded in 2009 and is committed to improving the treatment of rotator cuff disease with the Rotation Medical rotator cuff system, a breakthrough technology that has the potential to prevent rotator cuff disease progression and reduce re-tears by inducing the growth of new tendinous tissue. The company is privately held and funded by New Enterprise Associates (NEA), Life Sciences Partners (LSP) and Pappas Ventures. For more information, visit http://www.rotationmedical.com/.

Contacts

Merryman Communications
Joni Ramirez, 323-532-0746
joni@merrymancommunications.com

PAVmed Files 510(k) Submission with FDA for CarpX™ Device to Treat Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

November 28, 2017

NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–PAVmed Inc. (Nasdaq: PAVM, PAVMW), a highly differentiated, multiproduct medical device company, today announced that it has filed a 510(k) premarket notification submission with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its CarpX™ minimally invasive device designed to treat carpal tunnel syndrome.

“We are very excited to have reached this most important milestone in PAVmed’s corporate history,” said Lishan Aklog, M.D., PAVmed’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “CarpX has become the most commercially promising and clinically exciting product in our pipeline and we believe it will revolutionize the treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome, a widely prevalent condition that exacts a significant clinical and economic burden on society in the U.S. and worldwide. Based on epidemiological and market research data we estimate CarpX’s addressable market opportunity to exceed $1 billion.”

David A. Kelly, M.D., Co-Director of Plastic Surgery at the Center for Dermatology and Plastic Surgery in Gilbert, Arizona, concurred. “I have had the opportunity to use PAVmed’s highly innovative CarpX device in pre-submission testing and am very impressed with its performance. As a busy hand surgeon, I strongly believe that CarpX will be a game-changer in the treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome, providing patients with a much less invasive option and significantly shorter recovery times than traditional open carpal tunnel surgery.”

Carpal tunnel syndrome is the most common cumulative trauma disorder. It accounts for over half of all occupational injuries in the U.S. and over $20 billion in annual workers’ compensation costs. The carpal tunnel is an anatomic space in the wrist through which tendons and the median nerve pass. Cumulative trauma from repetitive motion (e.g., typing) leads to inflammation, scarring and compression of the nerve, resulting in a syndrome of debilitating symptoms in the hands. It is estimated to affect 2.5% of U.S. adults with 600,000 undergoing invasive carpal tunnel surgery each year and many more choosing to defer surgery and suffer in silence. Traditional carpal tunnel surgery involves making incisions at the base on the hand through which the scarred ligament is cut to relieve compression of the nerve. Recovery times vary but can last many months.

“We designed CarpX to closely mimic the anatomic results of traditional invasive carpal tunnel surgery but to do so much less invasively, using catheters, balloons, radiofrequency energy and other established tools that have contributed to the percutaneous and minimally invasive revolutions in the treatment of other conditions,” said Brian J. deGuzman, M.D., PAVmed’s Chief Medical Officer. “Our balloon catheter device is designed to be inserted under the scarred ligament in a minimally invasive fashion, while pushing the nerve and tendons away. When activated, bipolar radiofrequency electrodes precisely cut the ligament from the inside out in a matter of seconds. The device design provides physicians with ongoing feedback to optimize the safety and completeness of the procedure,” he added.

“As with all of our products, CarpX’s development and regulatory testing were performed using our unique business model focused on speed to market and capital efficiency. We are proud to have achieved this milestone within a timeframe and with capital expenditures to date that beat our model’s benchmarks,” added Dr. Aklog. “We believe we have assembled a strong submission and are targeting clearance in the first half of 2018. Upon successful regulatory clearance, we anticipate an aggressive commercialization strategy using well-established independent sales channels targeting the appropriate physician specialties.”

“I eagerly await CarpX’s regulatory clearance and the opportunity to offer this ground-breaking innovation to my patients suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome,” said Dr. Kelly.

About PAVmed

PAVmed Inc. is a highly differentiated, multiproduct medical device company employing a unique business model designed to advance products from concept to commercialization much more rapidly and with significantly less capital than the typical medical device company. This proprietary model enables PAVmed to pursue an expanding pipeline strategy with a view to enhancing and accelerating value creation. PAVmed’s diversified pipeline of products address unmet clinical needs, have attractive regulatory pathways and market opportunities and encompass a broad spectrum of clinical areas including carpal tunnel syndrome (CarpX™), interventional radiology (PortIO™ and NextCath™), pediatric ear infections (DisappEAR™) medical infusions (NextFlo™ and NextCath™), and tissue ablation and cardiovascular intervention (Caldus™). The Company intends to further expand its pipeline through engagements with clinician innovators and leading academic medical centers. For further information, please visit www.pavmed.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts. Such forward-looking statements, based upon the current beliefs and expectations of the Company’s management, are subject to risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ from the forward-looking statements. Risks and uncertainties that may cause such differences include, among other things, the uncertainties inherent in research and development, including the cost and time required advance our products to regulatory submission; whether regulatory authorities will be satisfied with the design of and results from our preclinical studies; whether and when our products are cleared by regulatory authorities; market acceptance of our products once cleared and commercialized; our ability to raise additional funding and other competitive developments. PAVmed has not yet received clearance from the FDA or other regulatory body to market any of its products. New risks and uncertainties may arise from time to time and are difficult to predict. All of these factors are difficult or impossible to predict accurately and many of them are beyond our control. For a further list and description of these and other important risks and uncertainties that may affect our future operations, see Part I, Item IA, “Risk Factors,” in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, as the same may be updated in Part II, Item 1A, “Risk Factors” in any Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q filed by us after our most recent Annual Report. We disclaim any intention or obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement to reflect any change in our expectations or in events, conditions, or circumstances on which those expectations may be based, or that may affect the likelihood that actual results will differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements.

Contacts

Investors
LHA Investor Relations
Kim Sutton Golodetz, (212) 838-3777
kgolodetz@lhai.com
or
Media
RooneyPartners
Marion Janic, (212) 223-4017
mjanic@rooneyco.com

Regentis Biomaterials Performs the First Cases in GelrinC Pivotal Study

PRINCETON, New Jersey and OR AKIVA, IsraelNovember 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ —

Regentis Biomaterials announced today the start of its Phase III pivotal clinical trial of GelrinC for the treatment of focal knee cartilage defects with successful surgery on three patients in the U.S. and Denmark. These procedures are part of a Food and Drug Adminstration (FDA) approved Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) clinical study to compare GelrinC to microfracture, the current standard of care treatment. The clinical study will be used to support a Pre-market Approval Application (PMA) which will allow Regentis to market GelrinC in the U.S.

The US procedures were performed by Dr. Jason Scopp at the Peninsula Orthopaedic Clinic in Salisbury, Maryland and by Dr. Bryan Huber at Mansfield Orthopaedics at Copley Hospital in Morrisville, Vermont while the Denmark procedure was completed by Dr. Martin Lind in Aarhus University Hospital in Aarhus.

“We are entering our next evolution in the field of joint preservation. While many current techniques involve transplanting cartilage from a donor, the GelrinC implant allows us to harness the benefits of our patient’s own mesenchymal stem cells,” said Dr. Jason Scopp from Peninsula Orthopaedic Clinic. “The  technique was extremely quick, adding a mere 10 minutes to a standard practice procedure. Product application to the lesion was easy with the assistance of Regentis’s proprietery delivery device. It completely filled the defect and after a short exposure to UV light, an optimal implant was formed.”

“The success of these three clinical procedures is a significant milestone for Regentis and represents a big step to helping US and European patients recover from damaged articular knee cartilage,” said Regentis President and CEO Alastair Clemow, Ph.D. “In our previous study in Europe, GelrinC demonstrated outstanding clinical outcomes, and we look forward to continue demonstrating the effectiveness of this novel treatment for US patients.”

The FDA trial will appraise the safety and efficacy of GelrinC compared to the raw level data of a historical microfracture control arm. This study design overcomes the limitation of randomized control studies in this field, and is expected to generate faster patient enrollment and significantly reduce the time for product approval.

With an estimated market opportunity in excess of $1 billion, cartilage repair is the largest unmet need in orthopedic sports medicine today. Articular cartilage is the smooth, white tissue covering the ends of bones where they come together to form joints. Focal defects of the cartilage layer are extremely painful for patients and usually occur due to sudden trauma. Surgical intervention is often required because of the limited capacity for cartilage to repair itself. The current standard of care treatment is microfracture but this only provides short term relief and often requires surgical re-intervention.

About Regentis Biomaterials
With offices in Or Akiva, Israel and Princeton, NJ, Regentis Biomaterials is a privately held company focused on developing and commercializing proprietary hydrogels for tissue regeneration. The company’s core technology is Gelrin™, a biodegradable hydrogel based on polyethylene glycol diacrylate and denatured human fibrinogen originally developed at the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology by Dr. Dror Seliktar. The Gelrin hydrogel platform combines the stability and versatility of a synthetic material with the bio-functionality of a natural substance for a range of clinical applications. For more information, please visit http://www.regentis.co.il.

For media inquiries, please contact:
Josh Turner
Media Relations
Phone: 011-972-54-949-6526
josh@jtpublicrelations.com

USA
Alastair Clemow, PhD
President & CEO
+1-508-930-8865

Israel
Livnat Ben Zur
General Manager
011-972-52-860-4735

SOURCE Regentis Biomaterials Ltd.