Top Device Companies

Wright Medical Probed By Justice While Facing ‘Kickback’ Lawsuit

Wright Medical Group is being investigated by the Justice Department for some of its financial arrangements with surgeons, one of which is at the center of a lawsuit. The Justice probe was revealed in the company’s federal filings, but was not described in detail, but it earlier said it is investigating kickbacks from device makers to physicians. A former Major League Baseball umpire sued Wright after a surgeon implanted one of Wright’s ceramic joints that later shattered, became infected and the umpire permanently disabled. The suit said the surgeon had received payments from Wright to use its product over more-popular implants. Wright denied the allegations in the suit. (Click here for more)

“New Hips Gone Awry Expose U.S. Kickbacks In Doctors’ Conflicts” – Bloomberg (6/11/10)

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 Puts Skin-Grafting System On U.S. Market

Wright Medical Group said it has begun marketing in the United States its Xpansion Micrografting System, a disposable kit for grafting skin. The new system is designed to replace the normal procedure of surgery and general anesthesia for treating chronic and acute wounds. The Wright system is capable of extracting a graft that can be expanded to cover a wound 100 times larger. (Click here for more)

“Wright Medical Launches New Skin Grafting System” – Memphis Business Journal (6/9/10)

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!

Wright Markets Ankle-Deformity Device For Diabetes-Associated Ailment

Wright Medical Group said it has begun marketing in the United States its Valor Hindfoot Fusion Nail, a device to treat skeletal deformity in the ankle. The deformity is considered late-stage arthritis, but also can result from diabetes, and accounts for about half of the 30,000 hindfoot fusion procedures performed each year. Wright expects sales to increase as the U.S. diabetic population continues to expand. (Click here for more)

“Wright Medical Launches Valor Ankle Product” – Memphis Business Journal (6/4/10)

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, Wright Move To Have 10-Year Patent Dispute Dismissed

Stryker and Wright Medical have joined in a court motion to drop the 10-year-old patent suit filed by Stryker subsidiary Howmedica Osteonics. Howmedica sued Wright after it developed its Advance knee implant, which Howmedica said violated its own patent. A federal court in New Jersey ruled the Howmedica patent invalid and Wright countered the parent company failed to disclose patent was invalid, keeping the case open. Both companies asked the judge to dismiss the case subject to licensing and settlement agreements they intended to work out. (Click here for more)

“Stryker, Wright Medical Move To Kill 10-Year-Old Patent Spat” – Mass Device (5/28/10)

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!

Wright Medical Spends On Center Upgrade During Economic Downturn

Wright Medical Technology is bucking the trend of fellow device makers reducing expenditures in the current economy by investing $10 million to upgrade its distribution center. Wright Medical has relied for growth during the economic downturn on its foot and ankle division, which has recorded 20 percent growth for the past 11 quarters. Wright also makes hip and knee implants. Other Memphis-based device makers, NuVasive and Onyx Medical, also have spent money recently expanding their operations. (Click here for more)

“Medical Devices Drive Expansion” – Memphis Business Journal (4/16/10)

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!

Stryker Patent Suit Against Wright Medical Settled In Favor Of Wright

Stryker’s patent infringement suit against Wright Medical Technology has been settled in favor of Wright. Stryker had accused Wright of violating the patent held by Stryker subsidiary Howmedica Osteonics when Wright produced its Advance knee implant. In the latest court action, a New Jersey federal court granted summary judgment to Wright. The court invalidated the Howmedica patent, but Stryker could appeal the decision to a higher court. (Click here for more)

“Wright Medical Receives Favorable Summary Judgment” – Memphis Business Journal (11/30/09)

Hot Off the Presses: Medical Device Market 2009: Interventional Cardiology - This 86-page Special Report from IN VIVO identifies the most important trends in cardiology devices in recent years, teases out the critical decisions that drove those developments, and takes you behind the scenes and into the minds of the architects of these new technologies and business strategies. Find out more...

Wright Medical Hip Resurfacing System Gets FDA Approval

Wright Medical Group has won FDA approval to market its Conserve Plus system for hip resurfacing. Wright designed the device as an alternative to total hip replacements, making it more attractive to younger patients. Conserve Plus already had been on the market in other countries. (Click here for more)

“Wright Gets U.S. Approval For Hip Resurfacing System” – CNBC (AP) (11/9/09)

JUST PUBLISHED: Medical Device Market 2009: Interventional Cardiology - This new 86-page Special Report contains the best articles, interviews and insight about this dynamic sector from IN VIVO: The Business & Medicine Report. Find out more...

Wright Medical To Move Europe Distribution From France To Amsterdam

Wright Medical Group says it is moving its distribution and support facilities from France to Amsterdam by the end of the year. Wright’s move of those facilities follows a previous launch of Wright Medical Australia to manage the firm’s similar operations in Australia and New Zealand. Wright, which is keeping its headquarters in Memphis, said the move from Crtiel, France, to Amsterdam could cost as much as $5 million, including severance and benefits costs. (Click here for more)

“Wright Medical Moving France Operation To Amsterdam” – Memphis Business Journal” (10/20/09)

Medical Device Manufacturers’ Employee Training Programs Are Under FDA Scrutiny -- Click Here To Find Out Why...

Get the week's top medical device news sent directly to you. Sign up for the FREE once-a-week email newsletter from Top Device Companies.com