Charles Sternberg, Associate Editor01.10.23
Companion Spine LLC, a French-American specialist in diagnostic and interventional spine pain-management surgery, has acquired Backbone SAS, a company based in Bordeaux, France, that designs, develops, manufactures, and markets functional motion restoration implantable devices to treat spinal disorders. The acquisition expands Companion Spine's portfolio of medical implant solutions with the inclusion of Backbone's main medical device, the LISA implant (a Lumbar Implant for Stiffness Augmentation).
This acquisition allows Companion Spine to complete its line of treatment solutions for spine diseases, most notably lumbar stenosis and degenerative disc disease, matching implants to the degree of severity of the disease.
The LISA implant has been CE marked since 2018. Backbone conducted a clinical study on 137 patients in 5 centers in Europe to demonstrate its safety and efficacy, and to provide scientific support for its commercial development in lumbar degenerative disc disease.
With the integration of this unique device into its solution set, Companion Spine is expanding its system of solutions for physicians to appropriately treat every stage of disc and stenotic degenerative diseases, preventing unnecessary pain or limitation of motion, and without over treatment.
The acquisition of Backbone by Companion Spine also strengthens the company's scientific link with the School of Spine Surgery of the University of Bordeaux, founded by Professor Jacques Sénégas. A pioneer in the research of medical devices for the treatment of pathologies related to the spine and more generally to the vertebral column, the school is an institution whose national and international reputation is well established. The school's activities in the research of medical devices and less invasive surgery began in the 1990s, and its work led to the origination and development of Companion Spine's DIAMTM and Backbone's LISA devices, as well as earlier generations of devices.
LISA is the culmination of more than 30 years of clinical practice, offering a light, safe, effective, and quick interventional treatment solution (ambulatory surgery) that is less traumatic for the patient. Postoperative care is simple, less expensive and preserves the patient's anatomy as well as future therapeutic options for both patient and physician.
Nazanine Sahami, Founder, President & CEO of Backbone commented: "This new collaboration with Companion Spine is a great opportunity for Backbone. We are expanding French technological and medical know-how and expertise, as well as Backbone's therapeutic influence, through the LISA implant. This new step is in line with our focus to develop Backbone's positioning on an international scale in order to bring appropriately matched therapeutic benefits to patients suffering for a long time from back pain. We are enthusiastic to join forces with the most experienced and competent team in this space to make early-stage spine pain relief with motion preservation the standard of care for spinal pathologies.”
Professor Vincent Pointillart, spine surgeon at the Bordeaux University Hospital, concluded: "Patients desire maintaining motion in their spine while relieving back pain. The LISA device is a first-class medical technology that adapts to the patient's situation at any given moment. It is a less invasive, more effective, and reversible medical device, in contrast to the gold standard treatment for spinal pathologies, spinal fusion, which involves heavy, invasive, sometimes painful, and irreversible surgery. While the DIAMTM implant alleviates pain by off-loading the disc in between the bones of the spine, the LISA® implant alleviates the pain associated in a more unstable spine pathology."
With the acquisition of Backbone, Companion Spine takes a big step toward becoming one of the leading European players in the back pain and spine disease markets.
Reference:
1 Vijay M. Ravindra, MD, MSPH, Steven S. Senglaub, MS, Abbas Rattani, MBe, Michael C. Dewan, MD, MSCI, Roger Härtl, MD, Erica Bisson, MD, MPH, Kee B. Park, MD, and Mark G. Shrime, MD, MPH, PhD, Degenerative Lumbar Spine Disease: Estimating Global Incidence and Worldwide Volume, Global Spine Journal 8(117):219256821877076‑April 2018
This acquisition allows Companion Spine to complete its line of treatment solutions for spine diseases, most notably lumbar stenosis and degenerative disc disease, matching implants to the degree of severity of the disease.
Benefits of the Acquisition
The LISA implant, the main medical device from Backbone, is an effective solution that meets the growing need to treat progressive spinal pathologies more effectively. The device reduces chronic pain related to degenerative diseases of the lumbar spine, preserving form, function and motion, while balancing and restoring the patient's freedom of movement.The LISA implant has been CE marked since 2018. Backbone conducted a clinical study on 137 patients in 5 centers in Europe to demonstrate its safety and efficacy, and to provide scientific support for its commercial development in lumbar degenerative disc disease.
With the integration of this unique device into its solution set, Companion Spine is expanding its system of solutions for physicians to appropriately treat every stage of disc and stenotic degenerative diseases, preventing unnecessary pain or limitation of motion, and without over treatment.
The acquisition of Backbone by Companion Spine also strengthens the company's scientific link with the School of Spine Surgery of the University of Bordeaux, founded by Professor Jacques Sénégas. A pioneer in the research of medical devices for the treatment of pathologies related to the spine and more generally to the vertebral column, the school is an institution whose national and international reputation is well established. The school's activities in the research of medical devices and less invasive surgery began in the 1990s, and its work led to the origination and development of Companion Spine's DIAMTM and Backbone's LISA devices, as well as earlier generations of devices.
LISA is the culmination of more than 30 years of clinical practice, offering a light, safe, effective, and quick interventional treatment solution (ambulatory surgery) that is less traumatic for the patient. Postoperative care is simple, less expensive and preserves the patient's anatomy as well as future therapeutic options for both patient and physician.
Comments from Leadership
Erick Cloix, CEO and co-founder of Companion Spine, said: "The acquisition of Backbone and its leading technology, the LISA implant, is a further development and solidification of Companion Spine's industrial effort. We are very pleased to be able to expand the continuum of solutions aligning the proper spine implant for the therapeutic goals of the patient. Our DIAM implant is oriented towards a lesser spine pain pathology, while the LISA implant provides a more solid support controlling both flexion and extension of the back. The complementary nature of these two products allows Companion Spine to offer a full range of therapeutic solutions, in response to the whole range of pathologies involving the spine, from lumbar stenosis to degenerative disc disease, and for each degree of severity.”Nazanine Sahami, Founder, President & CEO of Backbone commented: "This new collaboration with Companion Spine is a great opportunity for Backbone. We are expanding French technological and medical know-how and expertise, as well as Backbone's therapeutic influence, through the LISA implant. This new step is in line with our focus to develop Backbone's positioning on an international scale in order to bring appropriately matched therapeutic benefits to patients suffering for a long time from back pain. We are enthusiastic to join forces with the most experienced and competent team in this space to make early-stage spine pain relief with motion preservation the standard of care for spinal pathologies.”
Professor Vincent Pointillart, spine surgeon at the Bordeaux University Hospital, concluded: "Patients desire maintaining motion in their spine while relieving back pain. The LISA device is a first-class medical technology that adapts to the patient's situation at any given moment. It is a less invasive, more effective, and reversible medical device, in contrast to the gold standard treatment for spinal pathologies, spinal fusion, which involves heavy, invasive, sometimes painful, and irreversible surgery. While the DIAMTM implant alleviates pain by off-loading the disc in between the bones of the spine, the LISA® implant alleviates the pain associated in a more unstable spine pathology."
With the acquisition of Backbone, Companion Spine takes a big step toward becoming one of the leading European players in the back pain and spine disease markets.
Reference:
1 Vijay M. Ravindra, MD, MSPH, Steven S. Senglaub, MS, Abbas Rattani, MBe, Michael C. Dewan, MD, MSCI, Roger Härtl, MD, Erica Bisson, MD, MPH, Kee B. Park, MD, and Mark G. Shrime, MD, MPH, PhD, Degenerative Lumbar Spine Disease: Estimating Global Incidence and Worldwide Volume, Global Spine Journal 8(117):219256821877076‑April 2018
