Pioneer Surgical Technology, which has a research facility in Greenville started with the help of $190,000 in funding from the North Carolina Biotechnology Center in 1995, has won the prestigious Frost & Sullivan 2009 North American Technology Innovation of the Year Award for its E-Matrix Tissue Scaffold, recently launched in the United States.
The Marquette, Michigan-based firm entered North Carolina's orthobiologics scene in 2007 when it bought the small Greenville-based startup firm Encelle, which had developed the E-Matrix tissue regeneration scaffolding technology for orthopaedic and other therapeutic uses. Encelle's start-up was aided by the Biotechnology Center funding.
Ronald Hill, Ph.D., vice president of research and development, said, "Frost & Sullivan is world renowned for technology analysis and after an exhaustive review of products in this therapeutic category, Pioneer has been recognized for the significance and potential of this innovative technology to become the market leader."
"This award reflects Pioneer's commitment to deliver on innovation that benefits patients and surgeons, and is cost-effective for the healthcare system," said Pioneer's CEO and President, Jeff Millin.