Move strengthens Zimmer's minimally invasive leadership in Orthopaedics
WARSAW, Ind., Apr 9, 2002 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX/ --Zimmer Holdings, Inc., (NYSE: ZMH) announced today that it has entered into two strategic agreements with pioneers in the drive to transform total knee replacement into procedures incorporating Minimally Invasive Solutions(TM) (MIS). As with Zimmer's industry-leading development in minimally invasive unicompartmental knee replacement, and the "mini" and "2-incision" total hip replacements, the goals of MIS total knee replacement are to help speed the patient's lifestyle recovery while reducing overall costs to the global healthcare system.
Under the terms of its agreement with MedicineLodge, Inc., Zimmer will work with the firm and its principal surgeon developer, E. Marlowe Goble, M.D., on various concepts to refine and further develop surgical techniques, instruments, and implant designs to facilitate a minimally invasive procedure. Dr. Goble performed what is thought to be the first minimally invasive knee replacement procedure and has extensive research and clinical experience in the area of minimally invasive surgery. MedicineLodge, Inc. was founded in 2000 to maximize value creation in medical device technology by combining world class research, business, and intellectual property development.
Zimmer also has entered into an agreement with the surgeons Dr. Alfred J. Tria, Jr., and Dr. Thomas M. Coon, who have been working together to advance minimally invasive knee procedures. Over the last eight weeks, Drs. Tria and Coon have performed several minimally invasive knee replacement procedures utilizing Zimmer's NexGen® Legacy® LPS-Flex Knee. Dr. Tria is Clinical Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New Jersey. Dr. Coon is a well-known inventor and orthopaedic surgeon in practice at Shasta Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine in Red Bluff, California. Both have played a key role in the development of the MIS unicompartmental knee program and in training other orthopaedic surgeons about the procedure.
Zimmer recently released extramedullary instruments for the unicompartmental procedure, offering surgeons additional options beyond the original intramedullary instruments.
"Zimmer believes that the patient benefits of minimally invasive joint replacement are so compelling that we have placed significant company resources behind developing instruments, implants and procedures that will enable orthopaedic surgeons to bring these benefits to their patients," said Zimmer Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer Ray Elliott. "By working with Dr. Goble and his MedicineLodge colleagues, and with Drs. Tria and Coon, we have aligned ourselves with leaders who can deliver on the promise of minimally invasive total knee replacement for broad based use. As we proceed, we will be expanding the team of key surgeons we involve in the development process in order to capture the best thinking from throughout the world."
The company supports a web site that features information about minimally invasive orthopaedic procedures at www.pacewithlife.com . Zimmer also has a dedicated business team within the company focused on MIS and previously announced the formation of the MIS Institute, which is being developed to provide a worldwide vehicle for surgeon education.
"The surgeons we have collaborated with in our development program for minimally invasive '2-incision' hip replacement have now performed nearly 100 procedures and the results are very promising," said Elliott. "We will approach knee replacement in the same methodical way and prove the patient benefits with our clinician partners before we release instruments and procedures to a broad base of surgeons."
Zimmer said it is premature to estimate when minimally invasive total knee replacement would be widely available but that it hopes to complete an evaluation of 100 surgeries during 2002 and 2003. The company will initially focus its collaborative development on instruments and techniques that can be used with existing knee replacement implants. Zimmer is committed to a development process that will involve designing specific implants to take advantage of the minimally invasive approach. Patent applications have been filed by the development team for unique instruments used in initial surgeries and for implant design concepts.
"Today's new patient is seeking orthopaedic treatments that help relieve their arthritis pain, restore their lost function and allow a recovery of lifestyle," said Elliott. "We believe Zimmer's leadership in developing minimally invasive products and techniques is another way we can provide surgeons the tools to help meet changing patient needs, not inhibit them."
Zimmer, based in Warsaw, Indiana, is a global leader in the design, development, manufacture and marketing of reconstructive orthopaedic implants and fracture management products. Orthopaedic reconstruction implants restore joint function lost due to disease or trauma in joints such as knees, hips, shoulders and elbows. Fracture management products are devices used primarily to reattach or stabilize damaged bone and tissue to support the body's natural healing process. Zimmer also manufactures and markets other products related to orthopaedic and general surgery. For the year 2001, Zimmer recorded worldwide revenues of approximately $1.2 billion. Zimmer was founded in 1927 and has more than 3,400 employees worldwide.
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