The European subsidiary of ReGen Biologics (Franklin Lakes, New Jersey) used this week’s congress of the International Society of Arthroscopy, Knee Surgery, and Orthopaedic Sports Medicine (ISAKOS; San Ramon, California)) in Florence, Italy, to sponsor several events.

ReGen exhibited its flagship product, the CMI meniscus implant, which is CE-marked and cleared for sale in Europe for both medial and lateral use. The lateral CMI has been the subject of a post-marketing study in Europe since receiving the CE mark in 2006 and now will be available for general sale, the company said.

ReGen also sponsored a luncheon symposium as part of the ISAKOS scientific program, with Kenneth DeHaven, MD, of Rochester, New York, presenting the results of a CMI U.S. multi-center clinical trial; Dirk Holsten, MD, of Koblenz, Germany, reviewing the lateral CMI surgical technique; and Drs. M. Marcacci and S. Zaffagnini of Bologna, Italy, discussing preliminary clinical trial results of the lateral CMI.

“We are pleased to support the efforts of ISAKOS in presenting new and important information, and also to offer surgeons a proven treatment for lateral meniscus defects,” said Marcel Kyburz, general manager of ReGen Biologics AG.

ReGen’s collagen scaffold technology includes applications in orthopedics, general surgery, spine, cardiovascular and drug delivery. The company’s first approved product using that technology is the CMI, which is cleared for sale in Europe and marketed through ReGen’s European subsidiary, ReGen Biologics AG.

ONCOlog to supply logistics system

LinkMed’s (Stockholm, Sweden) portfolio company, ONCOlog Medical, a subcontractor to the Belgian company IBA, will supply a new patient logistics system to the proton therapy clinic being established at the University Hospital of Essen (Essen, Germany). The order is worth SEK 9 million ($1.3 million). The clinic in Essen will start operations in mid-2009.

“That IBA has selected ONCOlog Medical’s patient logistics system for their first European proton clinic is confirmation that the products we have developed for this industry are world-class,” said Hans Dahlin, CEO of ONCOlog. “It confirms that our endeavors are right on target — both in terms of timing and quality.”

The order is for the PatLog patient logistics system. The company said PatLog increases the quality of care and the cost effectiveness of proton therapy clinics, where a high flow of patients is required to cover large investment costs.

The order covers the primary equipment, with service and support to be procured at a later stage. ONCOlog estimates that the aftermarket related to these types of systems over a 15-year life cycle is in line with the order value.

The order is a result of an agreement that ONCOlog Medical entered into with IBA at the beginning of May. ONCOlog has been selected as the exclusive supplier of patient logistics systems for the proton therapy clinics delivered by IBA.

IBA said that over a 10-year period it aims to achieve 50% of the global market share of proton centers, entailing five to seven centers a year.

Negotiations for other proton therapy centers in Europe are currently ongoing. ONCOlog and IBA said procurement decisions regarding three to five of them are expected to be made this year.

Today, there are about 20 major proton therapy clinics worldwide, and ONCOlog said the technology is “advancing rapidly.” In contrast to regular radiotherapy, treatment with proton and particle therapy such as carbon ions, makes it possible to optimize the radiation dosage by directing it at the actual tumor cells and lowering the risk of damaging the surrounding healthy tissue.

LinkMed’s ownership stake in ONCOlog Medical is 48%.

Center in Portugal orders Leksell Perfexion

Elekta (Stockholm, Sweden) reported an order for Leksell Gamma Knife Perfexion, which it calls “the latest and most advanced system ever for non-invasive radiosurgery of brain disorders,” from Centro Gamma Knife Radiocirurgia (CGKR; Lisbon, Portugal).

This first Gamma Knife Center in Portugal will be established at Hospital CUF Infante Santo, a part of the Jose Mello-Saude Group.

CGKR is a private initiative, established with the aim to bring the non-invasive Perfexion technology to patients in that country. Leksell Gamma Knife Perfexion, scheduled to be in clinical operation by early fall, will be installed in a new Gamma Knife Center that will be managed by CGKR, together with Hospital CUF Infante Santo.

The Gamma Knife Center will treat patients both from Portugal and other countries.

“We are very pleased that we have been able to bring this amazing technology for non-invasive radiosurgery of brain disorders to Portugal,” said Pedro Lucena e Valle, COO of CUF. “The creation of the new Gamma Knife Center at Hospital CUF Infante Santo will be a benefit for patients from the whole country.”

He added, “We are very impressed with the performance of Leksell Gamma Knife Perfexion as has been shown by our colleagues in Marseille, France. With unlimited cranial reach and ability to also treat the cervical spine, we will be able to address malignant and benign brain tumors as well as other brain disorders with extreme precision and accuracy, giving patients a much less traumatic alternative to invasive surgery.”