WARSAW, Ind., March 29, 2005 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX/ -- Zimmer Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: ZMH; SWX: ZMH), a worldwide leader in the orthopaedics industry, announced today it has acquired worldwide distribution rights to an innovative Universal Locking Plate technology for trauma fixation systems that is designed to improve treatment of high energy fractures and fractures in osteoporotic patients. The technology was developed by Swiss Orthopaedic Solutions (SOS), a privately held Pennsylvania company.
"This locking system technology provides orthopaedic surgeons the ability to create unique, fixed angle constructs while using familiar techniques," said Ray Elliott, Zimmer Chairman, President and CEO. "This agreement allows us to apply this innovative locking design to our Plate and Screw product lines and complements the Zimmer Periarticular Locking Plate technology introduced at the recent American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons meeting. It will also enable us to pursue further applications for our Minimally Invasive Solutions(TM) (MIS(TM)) Procedures and Technologies. The system's ability to address fractures in bone of compromised quality is consistent with our focus on treatments for diseases that particularly afflict women."
Because of the system's proprietary hole design, a surgeon can create a locked construct or a construct that provides bidirectional compression of fracture fragments. The plate design will accept locking screws and standard cortical or cancellous screws in any plate hole. The locking plate technology will accept most manufacturer's standard cortical screws (3.5mm and 4.5mm) and cancellous screws (4.0mm and 6.5mm).
"Orthopaedic diseases -- both osteoarthritis and osteoporosis -- are increasingly women's diseases," said Elliott. "The incidences of joint replacement and osteoporotic fractures are higher in women than in men, so we are focusing on developing treatments that are especially useful for women. This locking technology can provide excellent fracture fixation in otherwise healthy bone, but we believe it will be particularly useful in female patients whose bone quality has been compromised."
Zimmer expects to launch products based on the SOS technology in 2006. The products will initially be launched in the U.S. with worldwide distribution to follow.
About the Company
Founded in 1927 and headquartered in Warsaw, Indiana, Zimmer is the worldwide #1 pure-play orthopaedic leader in designing, developing, manufacturing and marketing reconstructive and spinal implants, trauma and related orthopaedic surgical products. In October 2003, the Company finalized its acquisition of Centerpulse AG, a Switzerland-based orthopaedics company and the leader in the European reconstructive market. Zimmer has operations in more than 24 countries around the world and sells products in more than 100 countries. Zimmer's 2004 sales were approximately $3 billion. The Company is supported by the efforts of more than 6,500 employees worldwide.
Visit Zimmer on the worldwide web at http://www.zimmer.com
Zimmer Safe Harbor Statement
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 based on current expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections about the orthopaedics industry, management's beliefs and assumptions made by management. Forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of forward-looking terms such as "may," "will," "expects," "believes," "anticipates," "plans," "estimates," "projects," "targets," "forecasts," and "seeks" or the negative of such terms or other variations on such terms or comparable terminology. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, our ability to successfully integrate Centerpulse AG and Implex Corp., the outcome of the pending informal SEC investigation of Centerpulse accounting, price and product competition, rapid technological development, demographic changes, dependence on new product development, the mix of our products and services, supply and prices of raw materials and products, customer demand for our products and services, control of costs and expenses, our ability to form and implement alliances, international growth, governmental laws and regulations affecting our U.S. and international businesses, including tax obligations and risks, product liability and intellectual property litigation losses, reimbursement levels from third-party payors, general industry and market conditions and growth rates and general domestic and international economic conditions including interest rate and currency exchange rate fluctuations. For a further list and description of such risks and uncertainties, see the disclosure materials filed by Zimmer with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Zimmer disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Readers of this document are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, since, while we believe the assumptions on which the forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, there can be no assurance that these forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate. This cautionary statement is applicable to all forward-looking statements contained in this document.
SOURCE Zimmer Holdings, Inc.
Media: Brad Bishop, +1-574-372-4291, [email protected] , Investors: Marc
Ostermann, +1-574-371-8515, [email protected] , or Sam Leno, +1-574-372-4790
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