Becker's Spine Review

28 DEVICES & IMPLANTS Spinal fusion devices make up 58% of products market — 10 key players By Mackenzie Garrity W ithin the spine surgery products market, spinal fusion devices hold 58 percent of the market share, ac- cording to a GYResearch report. 10 key market players: 1. Medtronic 2. DePuy Synthes 3. NuVasive 4. Stryker 5. Globus Medical 6. Zimmer Biomet 7. K2M 8. Orthofix 9. Alphatec 10. RTI Surgical n Private equity firm acquires orthopedic technology company: 4 things to know By Laura Dyrda C hicago-based healthcare private equity firm Linden Capital Partners completed the acquisition of Avalign Technologies, a Bannockburn, Ill.-based provider of implants, specialty surgical instruments, cut- ting tools and cases and trays for orthopedics and acute care, according to PE Hub. Here are four things to know: 1. Financial terms of the agreement weren't disclosed. 2. Avalign has a broad portfolio of manufacturing solu- tions and can bring new ideas from concept to launch. "We are proud of the business we have built at Avalign and are excited to partner with Linden through our next phase of growth," said Avalign CEO Forrest Whittaker. "We chose Linden because of their deep healthcare and con- tract manufacturing expertise and are confident they have the experience and resources to support the company's growth strategy." 3. Avalign has a reputation for quality systems, flexible capac- ity capabilities and customer service. "We are excited to part- ner with the management team to continue to pursue the company's value creation plan," said Linden Operating Part- ner and Chairman of Avalign Technologies Ernest Waaser. 4. Kirkland & Ellis was the legal advisor to Linden and Wil- liam Blair & Company and Harris Williams were financial advisors to Avalign. n Medtronic launches new spinal robot in US, 1st procedures performed in Virginia & Kentucky: 4 key notes By Laura Dyrda Medtronic launched the Mazor X Stealth Edition in the U.S. Four things to know: 1. Medtronic co-developed the technology with Mazor Robotics, a company it fully ac- quired last year. e technology incorporates Medtronic's Stealth soware with Mazor X, a robotic-assisted spine surgery platform that includes image guidance and navigation. 2. e first procedures using the system were performed at Louisville, Ky.-based Norton Healthcare and Reston (Va.) Hospi- tal Center. 3. Medtronic received FDA clearance for Mazor X Stealth Edition in November 2018 and expects to launch the system in key re- gions throughout the year. "As part of our surgical synergy strategy, we believe Mazor X Stealth Edition will accelerate the advancement and adoption of robotic-assisted and navigated surgical technologies in spine," said Geoff Martha, executive vice president and president of the Restorative erapies Group at Medtronic. "Medtronic is committed to transforming the future of spine care by offering proce- dural solutions that integrate implants, bio- logics and enabling technologies like navi- gation, 3-D imaging, robotics and powered surgical tools." 4. During an interview with Jim Cramer at the 37th Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference, Medtronic CEO Omar Ish- rak touted Mazor X Stealth Edition as a new innovation, just getting started. "What Medtronic can do is take a product like that and company like that and scale it at a speed that that company alone cannot reach. It's more restricted to spinal procedures, but spinal procedures are one of the biggest healthcare challenges and in planning those procedures and the implementation of those procedures and the guidance of the implants, this is an invaluable product and that's what we will drive," he said. n

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