Bioventus Releases ‘Flowable’ Bone Graft Substitute for Spine, Foot Fusions

Durham-based Bioventus, a global med tech company which went public earlier this year, is releasing a new product to its lineup that uses human tissue to improve bone fusions.

Called OsteoAmp Select, the tissue-based product is a “flowable” bone graft substitute developed for several minimally invasive surgeries, including lumbar spine, cervical spine, and foot and ankle fusions. 

“Spine, trauma and foot and ankle surgeons are looking for allograft options that handle well for a variety of procedures,” said Larry Boyd, Ph.D., Bioventus’ vice president of product development.

“Developed by our team in collaboration with our tissue bank partner, OsteoAmp comes ready-to-use, and is designed to be delivered in a range of methods, and to provide excellent retention characteristics at the grafting site.”

“It’s terminally sterilized and processed using advanced procedures designed to comply with the highest standards for tissue banking,” he added, “including comprehensive donor screening and extensive microbiological testing.”

The launch follows a limited release in select U,S, markets this March.

Paul Kim, M.D., of Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine Associates, is among the early adopters.

"OsteoAmp Select has been an ideal product for a variety of my minimally invasive interbody fusions, particularly with expandable cage technology, where I need a graft that handles efficiently to navigate tight spaces,” he said.

“I’ve used various formats of [the product] for years and have seen firsthand the successful patient outcomes it can help provide.”

Bioventus is the former biologics and clinical therapies division of Smith & Nephew, a publicly traded medical equipment company based in the United Kingdom. 

In 2012, Bioventus spun out with financial backing from Essex Woodlands.

In the summer of 2016, it pitched $150 million in an initial public offering, with plans to pay off at least $60 million of its debt but ended up withdrawing two months later.

This February, it refiled to list on the Nasdaq with the ticker BVS, looking to raise as much as $125 million.

In March, it acquired medical devices provider Bioness for $110 million.

Bioventus employs around 500 people and generates about $240 million in yearly revenue, according to Crunchbase.