A federal jury in California slapped NuVasive Inc. (NSDQ:NUVA) with a $41.8 million judgment after finding that the spinal implant maker poached sales reps from 1 of its distributors. Madsen Medical, a Nevada-based distributor, sued San Diego-based NuVasive in September 2013, after being fired in 2012. Owner Kris Madsen alleged that NuVasive breached its contract when it […]
Spine
RTI launches Unison-C cervical implant
RTI Surgical said today it launched its Unison-C anterior cervical fixation system designed and indicated for stand-alone anterior cervical interbody fusion procedures for treating degenerative disc disease. Along with the launch, the company reported that the 1st human implantation of the device had been performed during an anterior cervical discectomy and fusion last week. “The […]
InVivo Therapeutics enrolls 6th patient in spinal scaffold trial
InVivo Therapeutics (NSDQ:NVIV) shares are up this morning on the spinal scaffold maker’s announcement that it enrolled the 6th patient in its Inspire pivotal clinical trial. The patient, who’s being treated at the Barnes-Jewish Hospital at Washington University Medical Center in St. Louis, Mo., was implanted with the InVivo device about 10 hours after a traumatic spinal injury, the […]
FDA panel votes against Medtronic’s DIAM spine stabilization system
An FDA advisory panel last week reportedly recommended against approval for the DIAM spinal stabilization system made by Medtronic (NYSE:MDT) The federal safety watchdog’s Orthopaedic & Rehabilitation Devices panel met Feb. 19 to consider the pre-market approval application for DIAM, which stands for “device for intervertebral assisted motion.” It’s designed to treat lower back pain from moderate lumbar degenerative disc disease, at a single […]
BU researchers examine how spinal structure affects fracture rate
A Boston University mechanical engineering professor is attempting to improve spinal fractures predictions using an unusual set of tools – the same used for analyzing stress and strain on bridges and buildings. Spine fractures affect approximately 20% of men over 50 and 40% of women over 80, according to a report from Boston University. Despite the […]
Stryker’s Howmedica slips CerviCore lawsuit
A California federal judge dismissed a suit against Stryker (NYSE:SYK) subsidiary Howmedica Osteonics Corp that claimed the company failed to warn the plaintiff that its CerviCore spinal implant could introduce dangerous metals into her bloodstream. The case was dismissed as the plaintiff could not provide the dates in which they received the results of a blood-metal […]
RTI Surgical inks deal with Oxford Performance Materials
RTI Surgical said yesterday it inked a deal with Oxford Performance Materials to license its OsteoFab platform for spinal applications. OPM’s OsteoFab is a next-generation implant manufacturing process to build implantable medical devices layer by layer using only light and Oxpekk polymer, the Alachua, Fla.-based company said. “We are thrilled to announce this agreement with […]
NuVasive’s Q4 profits surge, swings to black for 2015
NuVasive Inc. (NSDQ:NUVA) yesterday reported 4th-quarter and full-year results that topped expectations on Wall Street, posting a Q4 profit increase of nearly 54% and swinging to black ink for 2015. San Diego-based NuVasive put up profits of $11.5 million, or 22¢ per share, on sales of $215.3 million for the 3 months ended Dec. 31, 2015, representing […]
Cerapedics touts IDE bone graft trial results
Cerapedics today released the results from the pivotal FDA investigational device exemption trial of its i-Factor peptide enhanced bone graft for use in anterior cervical discectomy and fusion procedures. Data from the study was published electronically in the journal Spine. The Westminster, Colo.-based company said the trial demonstrated appropriate safety and efficacy and met all 4 […]
InVivo adds clinical site to spinal scaffold pivotal trial
InVivo Therapeutics (NSDQ:NVIV) said today it added the University of California, San Diego Medical Center as a site for its Inspire pivotal clinical trial examining its Neuro-Spinal Scaffold designed to treat acute spinal cord injuries. The Cambridge, Mass.-based company’s neuro-spinal scaffold is surgically implanted following acute spinal cord injuries to act as a physical substrate for […]
K2M wins CE Mark for Rhine cervical disc
K2M (NSDQ:KTWO) said yesterday it won CE Mark approval in the European Union for its Rhine cervical disc system designed to treat degenerative disc disease. The Leesburg, Va.-based company said the newly cleared device features a 1-piece compressible polymer core, dome-shaped, plasma-coated endplates and a central-split keel, formed through proprietary molding technology to minimize wear between […]