Simplify Medical Pty Ltd, tells us it has received a 50th U.S. patent for its innovative cervical motion preservation intellectual property (IP) portfolio.
Background
Simplify Medical is the maker of the eponymous cervical artificial disc. The Simplify® Disc is designed to minimize patient risk associated with radiation, optimize long-term durability, simplify implantation and increase access to cervical disc replacement for patients with smaller anatomies.
Composed of primarily non-metal materials (PEEK-on-ceramic), the Simplify Disc is designed to be MRI compatible. This avoids use of CT scanning, thereby minimizing post-operative patient exposure to radiation currently necessary to view metal discs. While MRI is widely used pre-operatively for surgical planning, spine surgeons often switch to CT scans post-operatively in order to accommodate metal components, which can make it difficult to view the devices, as well as the facets and adjacent disc levels. However, CT scans have been shown to expose patients to ionizing radiation that equates to 400 to 550 chest X-rays per scan. The device is considered MRI-conditional, posing no known hazard in an MRI environment within prescribed conditions of use.
The company’s 50th patent, U.S. Patent No. 9,883,945, is entitled “Artificial Intervertebral Disc with Lower Height” and relates to the unique low-profile and more anatomically-shaped disc design. Other recent patents include U.S. Patent No. 9,839,532, covering Simplify Medical’s proprietary methods for inserting intervertebral discs in a less traumatic manner, and U.S. Patent No. 9,839,525, relating to implanting intervertebral discs with a movable core and a protrusion for holding the core captive between endplates.
The Simplify Disc is anatomically designed with low height implant options, as low as four millimeters, to treat a broad range of patients, including patients with smaller cervical disc spaces.
Company comments
“Simplify Medical is committed to innovation that improves clinical outcomes for patients with degenerative disc disease,” said Simplify Medical CEO David Hovda. “We believe Simplify Medical has the largest and most impactful IP portfolio in the spine motion preservation space, and we continue to invest in technology to further optimize patient outcomes and surgical ease of use.”
Source: Simplify Medica, Pty
published: February 27, 2018 in: Company News, Spine