CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Nov. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- ETEX Corporation, an advanced
biomaterials company, announced today a distribution agreement with Alphatec
Spine, of Carlsbad, California. Alphatec Spine will market and sell ETEX's
proprietary bone graft substitute portfolio on a non-exclusive basis in the
United States.
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Initial sales and marketing efforts will be focused on EquivaBone®, ETEX's
proprietary, certified osteoinductive hybrid bone graft. EquivaBone was the
first FDA cleared hard-setting osteoinductive material and is the only
osteoinductive bone graft substitute that provides a continuous
nanocrystalline calcium phosphate scaffold.
Subsequent to regulatory clearance, Alphatec will market and sell ETEX's novel
porous bone graft substitute, CarriGen®. CarriGen is a synthetic bone
substitute that utilizes the same proprietary nanocrystalline calcium
phosphate technology that is found in EquivaBone. CarriGen is currently under
a 510(k) review with the F.D.A., and is not available for sale. As a pure
synthetic, CarriGen is designed to set hard, and has compressive strength
comparable to that of cancellous bone. CarriGen has high porosity which allows
it to absorb saline and/or blood when mixed. Alphatec Spine expects to
distribute CarriGen in the United States and Europe in the first half of 2010.
Brian Ennis, President and CEO of ETEX Corporation, comments: "We are quite
impressed with Alphatec's team, technology platforms, and extraordinary growth
in a challenging economic environment. The breadth and versatility in ETEX
Corporation's rapidly expanding orthobiologic portfolio is extremely
synergistic with Alphatec's market initiatives. We view this distribution
agreement as the first phase of a partnership with substantial upside
potential which may evolve into co-development efforts to create novel
biologic / hardware solutions designed to optimize clinical outcomes in
commonly occurring spinal conditions."
EquivaBone is indicated for use in posterolateral spine fusion, providing
Alphatec Spine a novel biomaterial to complement their current spinal hardware
focus. EquivaBone is a proprietary combination of osteoinductive Demineralized
Bone Matrix (DBM) and ETEX's osteoconductive nanocrystalline calcium
phosphate. ETEX is proud to offer the first combination product that is both
moldable and injectable and sets hard once implanted. In addition, the
osteoinductivity of the DBM is certified after sterilization, by lot, for the
entirety of shelf life.
About ETEX Corporation
Established in 1989, ETEX Corporation develops, manufactures and
commercializes calcium phosphate-based biomaterials for improved orthopedic
clinical outcomes. A leader in bioresorbable bone substitute materials, ETEX
focuses on expanding applications through combinations with cells, biologics,
or therapeutic agents delivered in minimally invasive and easy to use systems.
For more information, visit www.etexcorp.com.
About Alphatec Spine
Alphatec Spine, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Alphatec Holdings, Inc.
(Nasdaq: ATEC). Alphatec Spine is a medical device company that designs,
develops, manufactures and markets products for the surgical treatment of
spine disorders, primarily focused on the aging spine. The Company's mission
is to combine world-class customer service with innovative, surgeon-driven
design that will help improve the aging patient's quality of life. The Company
is poised to achieve its goal through new solutions for patients with
osteoporosis, stenosis and other aging spine deformities, improved minimally
invasive products and techniques and integrated biologics solutions. In
addition to its U.S. operations, The Company also markets its spine products
in Europe. In Asia, the Company markets a broad line of spine and orthopedic
products through its subsidiary, Alphatec Pacific, Inc.
SOURCE ETEX Corporation
Shane Doyle, +1-617-577-7270
