PrinterPrezz, Osseus Partner to Develop 3D-Printed Spine Implants

PrinterPrezz Inc., a company that combines metal 3D printing, nanotechnologies, and surgical expertise to design and manufacture next generation medical devices, has announced an agreement to work together on new spinal interbody fusion devices with Osseus Fusion Systems, a Dallas-based medical device company focused on spine products.
 
The two companies have been collaborating since late 2018 to develop the next generation Aries series of products, including ALIF, cervical and expandable lumbar fusion cage designs. The companies plan to submit applications for multiple new devices to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in late 2019.
 
Dr. Alan Dang, chief medical officer of PrinterPrezz and board-certified orthopedic spine surgeon, commented, “Together, Osseus and PrinterPrezz are focused on leveraging the latest in additive manufacturing technologies to create advancements in spinal interbody fusion devices. A combination of biocompatible materials, innovative design and the latest in metal 3D print technology enables clinicians and engineers to jointly develop porous titanium implants with advanced geometries and lattices that optimize surgeon ergonomics to shorten procedure time and minimize soft tissue injury.”
 
Eric Hansen, CEO of Osseus, added, “The next generation of our Aries interbody fusion devices will feature optimized lattices to encourage bone on- and through- growth, as well as optimized micro-structure topography designed to facilitate fusion. Working with the expert team at PrinterPrezz allows our designers access to an advanced facility with a streamlined design and manufacturing flow, which enables us to keep up with the rapid pace of R&D innovation and quickly grow our product portfolio to meet the needs of our physician customers. The ability to prototype designs utilizing different 3D printer technologies at PrinterPrezz is an additional benefit as we experiment with new structures and lattices.”
 
Shri Shetty, CEO of PrinterPrezz, said, “Companies like Osseus are the innovators in the spine market and are part of the group that represents approximately half the market of next generation device submissions. Research and development costs, timelines and filing complexity are the biggest challenges for midsize innovators. By partnering with such companies, PrinterPrezz can help to reduce the time and cost associated with developing new products and facilitate both efficient and timely 510(k) applications. We look forward to designing and manufacturing future spine surgery innovations through our partnership with Osseus.”
 
The PrinterPrezz model allows customers to leverage expertise in engineering, medical consulting, infrastructure and development to bring meaningful innovations to market more quickly. New medical devices that result from the collaboration between Osseus and PrinterPrezz are expected to yield innovations that are designed to leverage the latest in additive manufacturing technologies and to be built at PrinterPrezz’s San Francisco Bay Area Innovation Center.