Project: Polyvalent polyaxial Osseointegrable Spine Screw

Spine surgery_x000D__x000D_The POSS target market concerns the spine degenerative pathologies which are responsible for severe and incapacitating back pain. The current practices involved depend on the severity, the recurrence and the age of the patients. They are the following:_x000D_- Non surgical treatments: rest, belt, physiotherapy, analgesic and AINS. _x000D_- Surgical interventions without implanted medical devices: laminectomy or intervention for slipped disc. _x000D_- Spine fusion: this technique aims to provoke the fusion and the immobilization of two or more vertebra with the restitution of the height of the inter-vertebral space(s), previously collapsed due to the degenerative disc. Such a surgical procedure necessitates (1) one or two intersomatic cages inserted between two vertebras once the vertebral disc is removed; these cages are previously filled in with bone substitutes responsible for the vertebra bone fusion; (2) rods or plates which are fixed with spinal screws in the dorso-lateral parts of the vertebras. _x000D_- Dynamic stabilization: this technique aims to do not fusion the vertebra in order to keep the vertebra mobility; its needs spine screws to fix the interspinous wedges and flexible rods or spacers; however, the movements are extremely limited. _x000D_- Artificial discs, which are recently developed; the indication is very limited, the implants are not yet mature (except for cervical vertebras)._x000D_- Nucleo-arthroplasty: A nucleus implant aims to restoring the inter-vertebral height without fusioning the two vertebras. The technique is a very advanced procedure and no satisfying nucleus implants are yet available._x000D__x000D__x000D_Spine Market_x000D__x000D_According to “Orthopedics This Week”, the worldwide spine market will reach $ 9,15 billion at the end of 2010. However, the market share is changing in favor of small companies who share the 30 % reCOing market share. _x000D__x000D_Although spine market includes all surgical treatments mentioned above, it is COly dedicated to spine fusion/stabilization for degenerative spine. In Europe, the spine market in 2010 is estimated to 500 to 600 millions € and the rest of world (Asia, Middle East, south of America) about 1 billion €. _x000D__x000D__x000D_Ps_x000D__x000D_Kasios, a French performing SME, designs and manufactures products for spine surgery as well as synthetic bone substitutes which are sold throughout a network of national dealers in numerous countries. CO Kasios products line focuses on intersomatic fusion in spine and includes cervical and lumbar cages pre filled with a synthetic bone substitute inside and a synthetic bone substitute which can be injected in the vertebral body. _x000D__x000D_FMI, a Dutch SME, focused its business on the development and manufacturing of components and assemblies used namely in the medical and biotechnological industry which constitutes about 60 % of its turnover. _x000D__x000D__x000D_Objective of the POSS program – economical benefit for the parties_x000D__x000D_Kasios and FMI went into Pship to conduct the POSS program aiming to develop a complete system to enlarge Kasios line of products for fusion and stabilization of the degenerative spine. This system will include a highly innovative implants optimizing the osseointegration as well as facilitating the use of the system by the surgeons. _x000D__x000D_Kasios will market worlwide (except USA) the spine innovative products issued from the POSS program. US market will be targeted thereafter._x000D_FMI will produce the POSS Kasios products. Addionnaly, this program will allow FMI developing and producing the innovative products for its own business in orthopedic indications other than the spine surgery._x000D_

Acronym POSS (Reference Number: 6041)
Duration 01/03/2011 - 28/02/2013
Project Topic The objective is to develop a spine screw based on novel design in order to (1) improve the osseous integration of spine implants in osteoporotic vertebra and (2) and have available an unique and polyvalent screw useable whatever the pathological and surgical spine conditions of the patient.
Network Eurostars
Call Eurostars Cut-Off 5

Project partner

Number Name Role Country
2 FMI Medisch B.V. Partner Netherlands
2 KASIOS SAS Coordinator France