Ceterix Gets Three New Patents

Ceterix Orthopaedics Inc., a developer of surgical tools for minimally invasive orthopedic procedures, has received three new patents that further protect the company’s products and methods to allow surgeons to arthroscopically pass suture through soft tissue in very tight joint compartments.

The most recent patents include:

• U.S. 8,888,848 B2: Implant and method for repair of the anterior cruciate ligament
• U.S. 8,911,456 B2: Methods and devices for preventing tissue bridging while suturing
• U.S. 8,920,441 B2: Methods of meniscus repair

“These new patents provide added support to our efforts to improve patients’ lives through innovation,” said John McCutcheon, president and CEO of Ceterix. “The NovoStitch technology is now protected by more than 180 issued claims.”

The Menlo Park, Calif.-based company’s NovoStitch suture passer is used in the repair of meniscal tears and other soft-tissue joint injuries. According to the company, the NovoStitch allows the placement of a circumferential compression stitch in the knee meniscus, which is tightly surrounded by critical structures such as nerves, arteries and cartilage, which enables orthopedic surgeons to treat complex injuries that have not been amenable to repair in the past. The NovoStitch technology also can be used in minimally invasive hip and shoulder procedures.

Arthroscopic surgery is a minimally invasive procedure in which an orthopedic surgeon treats the damaged joint through small incisions using specialized tools and guided by a tiny camera called an arthroscope. Meniscus surgery is the most common arthroscopic procedure in the United States, with roughly one million performed annually.

Founded in 2010, Ceterix Orthopaedics develops surgical tools for soft-tissue injuries such as meniscus tears, hip and shoulder labrum tears, and rotator cuff tears. The company is based in Menlo Park, Calif. and is backed by investors Novo Ventures, Versant Ventures and 5AM Ventures.