Healthcare Industry News: RTI Biologics
News Release - February 9, 2009
RTI Biologics Announces Distribution and Supply Agreement with Aesculap for Biocleanse(R)-Sterilized Spinal Allografts
ALACHUA, Fla.--(HSMN NewsFeed)--RTI Biologics, Inc. (RTI) (Nasdaq:RTIX ), the Florida-based processor of orthopedic, dental, hernia and other biologic implants, announced today that it has signed an agreement to provide spinal allograft implants to Aesculap Implant Systems, Inc.Under the agreement, which is effective immediately, RTI will process cervical and lumbar spinal grafts from designs developed by Aesculap Implant Systems.
"We are pleased to work with Aesculap Implant Systems to deliver more sterilized spinal implants to surgeons," said Brian K. Hutchison, RTI's chairman and chief executive officer. "Through our agreement, we will be able to help even more patients with biologic solutions in spinal surgeries."
“The needs of the spine surgeon are ever changing as they work to provide the best clinical outcomes possible for their patients. This supply agreement will allow Aesculap Implant Systems to provide new and different allograft product offerings to support surgeons in those efforts,” stated Ira Benson, vice president of marketing, Aesculap Implant Systems, Inc.
About Aesculap, Inc. and Aesculap Implant Systems, Inc.
Aesculap was founded in 1867 in Tuttlingen, Germany and has grown into the largest and one of the most respected manufacturers of surgical instruments in the world. Over the years, Aesculap has continued to evolve into a diversified healthcare corporation by focusing its expertise in the areas of orthopedics, spinal implants, neurosurgery and vascular systems and sutures.
In order to be more responsive to its growing customer base in spine and orthopedics, Aesculap, Inc. formed a new company in 2007, Aesculap Implant Systems, Inc. (www.aesculapimplantsystems.com). This company focuses on these unique markets allowing for greater innovation and customer service. Aesculap Implant Systems maintains a surgeon/patient focus with the goal of improved operative procedures and patient outcomes leading to an improved quality of life.
About RTI Biologics Inc.
RTI Biologics, Inc. is the leading provider of sterile biological implants for surgeries around the world with a commitment to advancing science, safety and innovation. RTI prepares human donated tissue and bovine tissue for transplantation through extensive testing and screening, precision shaping and proprietary, validated sterilization processes. These allograft and xenograft implants are used in orthopedic, dental, hernia and other specialty surgeries.
RTI’s innovations continuously raise the bar of science and safety for biologics—from being the first company to offer precision-tooled bone implants and assembled technology to maximize each gift of donation, to inventing fully validated sterilization processes that include viral inactivation steps. Two such processes, the BioCleanse® Tissue Sterilization Process and the Tutoplast® process, sterilize tissue, are clinically successful and are scientifically proven to eliminate donor-to-recipient disease transmission risk while preserving tissue strength and biocompatibility. These processes have a proven record of more than two million implants distributed with zero incidence of allograft-associated infection. In addition, RTI pastes are sterilized through the demineralization process, a validated viral inactivation step.
The company is leading the evolution of biologics once again by offering a bovine based biological matrix, providing surgeons an expanded supply of safe, sterile tissue for their patients.
RTI’s worldwide corporate headquarters are located in Alachua, Fla., with international facilities in Neunkirchen, Germany, and Aix-en-Provence, France. The company is accredited by the American Association of Tissue Banks.
Forward Looking Statement
This communication contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements include but are not limited to statements about the expected benefits of the business combination involving RTI and Tutogen, including potential synergies and cost savings, future financial and operating results, and the combined company's plans and objectives. In addition, except for historical information, any statements made in this communication about anticipated financial results, growth rates, new product introductions, future operational improvements and results, regulatory approvals or changes to agreements with distributors also are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, including the ability of RTI to integrate its business successfully and to realize the expected synergies and cost savings from the merger and the risks described in public filings on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Actual results may differ materially from anticipated results reflected in these forward-looking statements. Copies of the company's SEC filings may be obtained by contacting the company or the SEC or by visiting RTI's Web site at www.rtix.com or the SEC's Web site at www.sec.gov.
Source: RTI Biologics
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