Top Device Companies

Smith & Nephew Loses At Home In Patent Case Brought By KCI Of U.S.

Smith & Nephew lost a patent case in its home court when the U.K. High Court of Justice ruled in favor of U.S.-based Kinetic Concepts. The court said Smith & Nephew’s Renasys EZ and Go wound-therapy devices infringed on KCI patents in the United Kingdom. The two companies have been waging the same battle in several other countries, including the United States. Smith & Nephew is expected to be enjoined soon from selling the two products in its home country. (Click here for more)

“KCI Wins U.K. Patent Dispute Against Smith & Nephew” – San Antonio Business Journal (6/23/10)

Medical device manufacturers facing many challenges: from the rising clout of group purchasing organizations (GPOs) to payment bundling and physicians' growing allegiance with hospitals in product price negotiations. Get all the answers now in new Medtech Insight's new 24-page Special Report: Medical Device Landscape: How regulatory changes and cost control measures are reshaping the industry. Available for purchase now!

Smith & Nephew Gets Injunction Against Arthrex Device Until Appeal

Smith & Nephew won a temporary victory in a Texas federal court when a judge enjoined Arthrex from selling a device using ligament-grafting technology. But the judge also suspended his own injunction until Arthrex has a chance to file an appeal of a jury verdict finding it infringed on S&N’s patents for its EndoButton femoral fixation device. The decision ordered Arthrex to pay S&N $5.2 million. S&N then asked for an injunction to block Arthrex from marketing its RetroButton device while the legal process continued. (Click here for more)

“Texas Judge Gives, Takes Away From Smith & Nephew In Arthrex Patent Suit” – Mass Device (6/22/10)

Medical device manufacturers facing many challenges: from the rising clout of group purchasing organizations (GPOs) to payment bundling and physicians' growing allegiance with hospitals in product price negotiations. Get all the answers now in new Medtech Insight's new 24-page Special Report: Medical Device Landscape: How regulatory changes and cost control measures are reshaping the industry. Available for purchase now!

Stryker’s Howmedica Unit Freed From Suit Over Duracon Knee Implant

Stryker and its Howmedica Osteonics subsidiary have been freed from a lawsuit over the Duracon knee implant. The suit was filed by a patient charging the firm with making a defective device after it was removed and replaced with the Genesis II model made by Smith & Nephew. A New York federal judge dismissed the suit, saying the plaintiff failed to demonstrate the Duracon device was defective or that it lacked adequate safetywarnings. The Howmedica device contained more nickel than the Smith & Nephew version. (Click here for more)

“Stryker’s Howmedica Osteonics Won’t Face Suit Over Knee Implant” – Mass Device (5/13/10)

Medical device manufacturers facing many challenges: from the rising clout of group purchasing organizations (GPOs) to payment bundling and physicians' growing allegiance with hospitals in product price negotiations. Get all the answers now in new Medtech Insight's new 24-page Special Report: Medical Device Landscape: How regulatory changes and cost control measures are reshaping the industry. Available for purchase now!

Smith & Nephew Continues Strong Sales Growth, Led By BlueSky Unit

Smith & Nephew continues to report ever-higher sales figures as a result of acquiring BlueSky for $23 million in 2007. BlueSky has now produced the largest sales growth of any Smith & Nephew division, led by purchases of the unit’s knee and hip joints. Smith & Nephew’s other divisions are seeing growth in sales of advanced wound management, endoscopy and orthopedic devices. (Click here for more)

“BlueSky Acquisition Proves Fruitful For Smith & Nephew” – TopNews U.S. (5/7/10)

Medical device manufacturers facing many challenges: from the rising clout of group purchasing organizations (GPOs) to payment bundling and physicians' growing allegiance with hospitals in product price negotiations. Get all the answers now in new Medtech Insight's new 24-page Special Report: Medical Device Landscape: How regulatory changes and cost control measures are reshaping the industry. Available for purchase now!

Smith & Nephew, DePuy, Wright Eye Coming Changes In U.K. Device Rules

Smith & Nephew, DePuy Orthopaedics and Wright Medical Group are among medical-device makers that could be affected by a U.K. plan to begin monitoring patients with implants on May 21, with protocols to follow by June 17. The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency took the action after issuing a medical-device alert about metal-on-metal hip replacements. MHRA said some patients had adverse soft tissue reactions because of shards caused by wear. Patients with the implants are to be monitored for five years after implant, during which they are to be tested annually. (Click here for more)

“Orthopedic Firms Defend Metal-On-Metal Hip Devices” – Memphis Daily (5/7/10)

Medical device manufacturers facing many challenges: from the rising clout of group purchasing organizations (GPOs) to payment bundling and physicians' growing allegiance with hospitals in product price negotiations. Get all the answers now in new Medtech Insight's new 24-page Special Report: Medical Device Landscape: How regulatory changes and cost control measures are reshaping the industry. Available for purchase now!

Zimmer, S&N, DePuy, Biomet Doctor Payments Nets Second Plea Deal

Zimmer Holdings, Smith & Nephew,DePuy and Biomet payments to physicians led to a federal probe that has secured a plea agreement with a Florida doctor. An orthopedic surgeon agreed to settle with the federal government for $650,000 as one of two physicians charged with taking payments from one or more of the four device makers. The companies have reached a deal and a fifth firm, Stryker Orthopedics, was let off because it cooperated in the federal probe. A second surgeon already settled for $65,000 and a three-year banishment from the Medicare program. (Click here for more)

“Swept Up In Major Medical Device Case, Physician Pays $650,000 To Settle Kickback Charges” – AIS Health Business Daily (5/3/10)

Medical device manufacturers facing many challenges: from the rising clout of group purchasing organizations (GPOs) to payment bundling and physicians' growing allegiance with hospitals in product price negotiations. Get all the answers now in new Medtech Insight's new 24-page Special Report: Medical Device Landscape: How regulatory changes and cost control measures are reshaping the industry. Available for purchase now!

Smith & Nephew Cleared For 30-Year Claim On Knee Implant

Smith & Nephew received FDA clearance to declare its Legion implantable knee device as good for 30 years. Previously approved versions of the knee implant have declared a lifetime of only 10-15 years after being implanted. Smith and Nephew’s Joseph DeVivo, head of the orthopedics division, said the company is aiming to produce lifetime implants. The device relies on S&N’s Verilast technology that offers an 81 percent reduction in wear on the implants. (Click here for more)

“Smith & Nephew Wins 510(k) Clearance For 30-Year Claim On Knee Implant” – Mass Device (4/22/10)

Medical device manufacturers facing many challenges: from the rising clout of group purchasing organizations (GPOs) to payment bundling and physicians' growing allegiance with hospitals in product price negotiations. Get all the answers now in new Medtech Insight's new 24-page Special Report: Medical Device Landscape: How regulatory changes and cost control measures are reshaping the industry. Available for purchase now!

Medtronic, S&N See Impact Of New Device Tax, But To Different Degrees

Medtronic’s CEO says he is sure the newly enacted health care-reform will have a negative impact on innovation within his industry, but a Smith & Nephew Endoscopy counterpart is not yet sure. Mike Frazzette, S&N Endoscopy president, said that because his business is a global one, he is unclear what impact the 2.3 percent excise tax on most medical devices would have. He said that even if it has a large impact, it would not alter the company’s business. Medtronic’s Bill Hawkins said, however, the tax would have a negative impact on investments in medical innovation and could cause his company to cut 1,000 jobs. (Click here for more)

“Device Makers React To Health Care-Reform Bill’s Excise Tax” – Mass Device (3/23/10)

Medical device manufacturers facing many challenges: from the rising clout of group purchasing organizations (GPOs) to payment bundling and physicians' growing allegiance with hospitals in product price negotiations. Get all the answers now in new Medtech Insight's new 24-page Special Report: Medical Device Landscape: How regulatory changes and cost control measures are reshaping the industry. Available for purchase now!

Wright Medical No Longer Under Investigation By SEC, Agency Says

Wright Medical Group has been told by federal regulators it is no longer under investigation for possible violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. The Securities and Exchange Commission had been investigating the company’s foreign sales practices for possible allegations of direct or indirect payments Wright and other device makers may have made to government physicians to use their products. Medtronic, Zimmer Holdings, Smith & Nephew and Stryker also have been part of the SEC investigation. (Click here for more)

“SEC Ends Investigation Of Arlington-Based Wright Medical Group” – Memphis Commercial Appeal (3/9/10)

Medical device manufacturers facing many challenges: from the rising clout of group purchasing organizations (GPOs) to payment bundling and physicians' growing allegiance with hospitals in product price negotiations. Get all the answers now in new Medtech Insight's new 24-page Special Report: Medical Device Landscape: How regulatory changes and cost control measures are reshaping the industry. Available for purchase now!

Smith & Nephew Firing Suit Over Physician Perks Moves Back To Texas

Smith & Nephew’s dispute with three fired sales agents has been moved from a federal court in Memphis back to the one in Texas where the suit was first filed. Two employees and two executives were fired by Smith & Nephew for treating a surgeon to a social excursion to a strip club. Smith & Nephew is a signatory to industry guidelines adopted in 2007 to ban perks to physicians, but three of them challenged the firings. The shift of court venues involved Smith & Nephew contracts with some employees, but not others. Smith & Nephew’s U.S. headquarters are in Memphis. (Click here for more)

“Smith & Nephew Lawsuit Moved Back To Texas” – Memphis Daily News (3/2/10)

Medical device manufacturers facing many challenges: from the rising clout of group purchasing organizations (GPOs) to payment bundling and physicians' growing allegiance with hospitals in product price negotiations. Get all the answers now in new Medtech Insight's new 24-page Special Report: Medical Device Landscape: How regulatory changes and cost control measures are reshaping the industry. Available for purchase now!