Active Implants Appoints MD as President

Active Implants Corporation (AIC) has appointed medtech veteran Lex R. Giltaij, M.D., as its new president and chief operating officer. The company has also established its international head office in the Netherlands, from which Giltaij will direct operations for the company. The company’s immediate focus will be completing clinical studies of the Nusurface meniscus implant, a new treatment for pain and disability arising from osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee.

Giltaij brings more than 20 year of experience in successfully introducing orthopedic devices to international markets. He held senior executive positions at Stryker Benelux and Stryker Biotech (both in the Netherlands), building their respective businesses in the Benelux (the union of Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg) and Europe. Giltaij was responsible for creating the international market for the X-Stop interspinous implant for St. Francis Medical Technologies Inc. and ran its European subsidiary. St. Francis Medical Technologies was acquired by Kyphon Inc. in a $725 million transaction in 2004. Kyphon was then purchased by Medtronic Inc. Subsequently, he established a direct sales effort and a distribution presence in Europe, China, the Middle East, South Africa and Russia for Pioneer Surgical Technology Inc.

“I am thrilled and honored with this fabulous opportunity to work with the highly talented, experienced and motivated Active Implants team and to guide the company’s efforts to revolutionize the treatment of OA knee pain,” said Giltaij. “This is a huge clinical problem and surgeons are currently without satisfactory options to treat a significant number patients suffering from OA who are too young to be candidates for a knee replacement surgery.”

“We welcome Lex’s experience and leadership to the AIC Team,” added chairman of the board and CEO Henry Klyce. “His results-oriented approach and ability to think strategically will play a pivotal role in the future of the company. Locating our subsidiary’s headquarters in the Netherlands will help us achieve our strategic vision and allow us to introduce the Nusurface meniscus implant into international markets, which is increasingly recognized as a valuable step to help ensure the successful launch of a new medical device in the United States.”

Klyce also clarified that despite Giltaij working from Europe, the company’s clinical and regulatory functions will remain in Memphis, Tenn., its U.S. corporate headquarters.

AIC is collaborating with surgeons from Germany, Belgium, Italy and Israel to conduct its controlled, multi-center trial of the Nusurface meniscus implant for use in early onset osteoarthritis patients. According to AIC, the device meets the needs of an underserved patient population that represents an estimated annual worldwide market of more than $2 billion.

AIC’s core technology is intended to introduce orthopedic implant solutions that better integrate with the natural biomechanics of the musculoskeletal system.