Titan Spine receives U.S. patent for competitive interbody devices

Sep 21 2012

Titan Spine, a medical device surface technology company focused on the development of innovative spinal interbody fusion implants, announced today that it has been awarded patent #US 8,262,737 B2 by the United States Patent Office that protects the Company against competitive interbody devices with a roughened surface topography, anti-expulsion edges, and access to a hollow center. The patent, which has also been filed in Europe, Canada, South America, and Australia, cover both solid metal and composite implant construction that consist of a combination of metal and polymer materials, such as polyetheretherketone (PEEK).    

"This patent is but one example of our strategy to not only push the envelope in the science of surface engineering to optimize bone formation and interbody fusion, but also to dominate the intellectual property in our space," commented Peter Ullrich, CEO of Titan Spine and former practicing surgeon. "In addition to protecting our proprietary nanoFIX™ Surface Technology, we are also defending our other areas of expertise, including implant construction, surgical methods, manufacturing processes, and others. Thus far, eighteen patents have been issued or are currently pending. And while this and pending patents include composite interbody devices, we will continue to be focused on producing all-metal implants due to the superior osteogenic environment that they create."

Barbara Boyan, Ph.D., Professor of Biomedical Engineering at the Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience, Georgia Institute of Technology, consults with the Company on optimizing its surface technology. She commented, "I am pleased that Titan Spine continues to shore up the intellectual property landscape surrounding their surface and implant design technologies. From all the cellular studies our team has been conducting over the past several years, it is clear to me that the decision to include composite implant construction in their submissions is a strategic initiative rather than for scientific purposes."