ODT’s Most-Read Stories This Week—May 7

Mergers and meetings took top billing this week on the ODT website.

Cybervisitors stopped by the site to learn of CONMED Corporation’s $255 million bid for In2Bones Global Inc. and the finalization of Medartis Holding’s $70 million deal for Nextremity Solutions Inc. CONMED executives called the In2Bones acquisition a “natural strategic extension” of the firm’s orthopedic portfolio; Memphis-based In2Bones develops, manufactures, and distributes treatment devices for upper (hand, wrist, elbow) and lower (foot/ankle) extremity injuries. Its product portfolio includes implants, fracture systems, biologics, and related hardware.

Medartis first announced its intention to purchase Nextremity Solutions on March 7. The deal will enable Medartis to accelerate its U.S. extremities business through a more diversified product pipeline, improved relationships with design surgeons, and an experienced R&D team. The acquisition also could help Medartis gain U.S. extremities market share. 

Two online exclusives also drove website traffic this past week. A recap of the 2022 ODT Forum garnered readers’ interest, as did an in-depth look at the importance of knee brace technology in athletics. The ODT Forum feature rehashed the topics discussed at this year’s event in Memphis—state of the orthopedic industry, device biocompatibility, supply chain stability, and product development. “The ODT Forum was a wonderful gathering of like-minded people with the goal of improving patient outcomes,” said Meredith May, MS, RAC, CQA, who presented a dialogue about regulatory considerations for additively manufacctured (3D printed) orthopedic implants. 

The knee brace technology feature discussed the need for developing products that allow athletes to get “their lives back.” “The first knee brace came to life in 1967. It provided lateral knee protection and was invented by Dr. Robert F. McDavid. This idea gave birth to the current paradigm of knee bracing, the rigid double upright hinge,” Joey Ardell, director, Product of Stoko, writes. “They are fantastic products for the right athlete, but in the last 55 years, we’ve seen little more than an aesthetic makeover of these products. What isn’t being addressed in the bracing space that would cause athletes to ask for their ‘lives back’ and reject the idea of ‘the world’s best knee brace?’ My hypothesis? Compliance.”    

1. CONMED Agrees to Acquire In2Bones Global Inc.

2. ODT Forum ’22 is Another Successful Orthopedic Tech Conference

3. Medartis Finalizes Acquisition of Nextremity Solutions Inc.

4. Giving Athletes Their Lives Back with Better Knee Braces

5. eCential Robotics, Amplitude Surgical Team Up on Robotic Knee Tech