Johnson & Johnson subsumed five of its medical technology business under the Johnson & Johnson Medtech name. Ethicon, Depuy Synthes, Biosense Webster, Abiomed and Cerenovus no longer exist as independent entities, but J&J announced no changes in the product lineup.

Vericel Corp.’s Maci for repairing cartilage defects in the knee has been approved by the U.S. FDA via a supplemental biologics license application. Using a patient’s own cells cultured on a porcine collagen membrane, Maci Arthro is delivered arthroscopically and allows for repair of knee cartilage defects up to 4 cm².

Researchers from Case Western Reserve University and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, continue their development of a neuroprosthetic which comprises a system of implanted or wearable sensors.

Stryker Corp. continued its aggressive M&A program this year with the planned acquisition of Vertos Medical Inc. Vertos offers a minimally invasive lumbar decompression (Mild) solution for chronic lower back pain caused by lumbar spinal stenosis. The announcement brings Stryker to six deals so far this year: Société d'Etudes, de Recherches et de Fabrication (SERF) SAS, Mfphd LLC, Artelon Inc., Molli Surgical Inc., Care.ai Inc. and now Vertos. Financial terms were not disclosed for any of the transactions.

The U.S. FDA warning letter to Globus Medical Inc., highlights some long-running concerns at the agency about medical device reporting practices, but the agency was keen to point to a problem with the company’s complaint trending practices.

Zimmer Biomet Holdings Inc. reported it will buy Orthogrid Systems Inc., a company that makes artificial intelligence-driven surgical guidance systems for total hip replacement for an undisclosed amount, and expects to complete the deal by the end of the fourth quarter of 2024.

Royalties for licensed patents ordinarily need not be paid after the underlying patent has expired, but the case of Zimmer Biomet Holdings Inc. v. Insall would seem to throw out a cautionary flag regarding such agreements.

Loci Orthopaedics Ltd. raised €12.8 million ($14 million) in an oversubscribed series A funding round that will help bring its Indx implant system for thumb base joint arthritis to the market. “There is a major unmet clinical need in orthopedics extremities and thumb base joint arthritis is a highly and increasingly prevalent condition,” Brendan Boland, co-founder and executive chairperson of Loci, told BioWorld.

Inosys Korea Co. Ltd. gained U.S. FDA 510(k) clearance for Unispace, a cervical spine cage manufactured with 3D printing technology. Unispace can be used during spinal fusion surgery, Busan-based Inosys said, wherein operators can remove a patient’s diseased or damaged disc and replace it with the cervical cage to maintain the original length of the spine.

Amber Implants BV reported promising results from the first-in-human trial of patients fitted with its Vcfix spinal system which treats vertebral compression fractures. Data showed that patients experienced significant pain relief and regained the ability to walk without discomfort.