Arthrex was named to Inc. magazine’s prestigious Inc. 500|5000 list for 2011, an exclusive ranking of the nation’s fastest-growing private companies. This list represents the most comprehensive look at the most important segment of the economy – America’s independent entrepreneurs. Arthrex joins Spirit Airlines, television maker Vizio and Dunkin Donuts, among other prominent featured brands.

Arthrex is proud of this esteemed national award as Inc. 500|5000 companies are recognized for their strength in innovation, job creation, overall growth, and contribution to the economy.

NAPLES, FL -- December 19, 2011 -- The Federal District Court in Portland, Oregon reversed an $85 Million jury verdict against Arthrex, Inc. issued in June of this year; dismissing Smith & Nephew, Inc.’s (“S&N”) eight year long pursuit against Arthrex and its SutureTak and PushLock line of suture anchors. These suture anchors are used in arthroscopic shoulder surgery throughout the world.

The Court held that under the correct construction of the patent, no reasonable jury could possibly find that Arthrex infringed in this case. The Court also held no reasonable jury could have found that Arthrex committed indirect infringement of the patent, vindicating Arthrex in all respects.

Since the filing of this lawsuit in January 2004, Arthrex has consistently maintained that it did not infringe S&N’s patent. This was the third trial in this case, with the first trial being a mistrial, a verdict for plaintiff in the second trial being reversed by the Court of Appeal for the Federal Circuit in Washington, D.C. and now this third trial’s verdict overturned and Judgment granted for Arthrex. This ruling comes six months after Arthrex won an appeal against S&N which took away a $4.7 million dollar verdict awarded to S&N in the Eastern District of Texas.

John W. Schmieding, Arthrex’s General Counsel stated: “While we are very pleased with the Judge’s ruling, we are perplexed by S&N’s continued attempt to compete in the courtroom rather than the marketplace. Arthrex would much rather apply its resources towards advancing innovation and life changing technologies.”

The Court also denied S&N’s request for enhanced damages, for an injunction and willful infringement. Arthrex is hopeful that S&N agrees with this sentiment, will forgo an appeal and move on to more productive pursuits.

Arthrex, headquartered in Naples, FL, is a worldwide leader in sports medicine product development and educational services for orthopaedic surgeons. More than 6,000 products for arthroscopic and minimally invasive orthopaedic surgical procedures have been developed by Arthrex and are currently marketed worldwide. For more information, visit www.arthrex.com.

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The Arthrex Pec Button (AR-2266) is a 2.6 mm x 10.9 mm titanium button used for fixation of soft tissue-to-bone intended as fixation posts, a distribution bridge, and for distributing suture tension over areas of ligament or tendon repair. Each end of the button has an angled face to promote a toggle effect when the button contacts the opposite cortex, enabling the Pec Button to be ideally suited for the repair of ruptures of the pectoralis major tendon back to bone.

Arthrex is pleased to announce the limited launch of the New Ankle Arthroscopy Set (AR-8655S) and GPS Targeting Guide Set (AR-8655GS). The New Ankle Fracture Arthroscopy Set is the first and only comprehensive set of instruments dedicated to the needs of the foot and ankle arthroscopist.

The new QuickPass family of lassos uses thumbwheels and a new ergonomic handle to quickly and easily advance the supplied Nitinol wire loop, a #2 FiberStick or a monofilament (PDS) suture. Sterile, single patient use assures a sharp instrument every time. All current SutureLasso SD tip configurations are available for arthroscopic labral and rotator cuff repairs.

Visit www.arthrex.com for more information.

NAPLES, FL, (June 23, 2011) – Though a federal jury ruled that Arthrex’s SutureTak and PushLock anchors used in arthroscopic shoulder repair infringed on a patent by English conglomerate Smith & Nephew, Inc. (S&N), Arthrex will be appealing the decision.

“After a Portland, Oregon, jury decided against it, Arthrex is disappointed with the jury's result and is prepared to see the matter through post-trial motions and appeal," said John W. Schmieding, Arthrex’s General Counsel. "We remain confident our SutureTak and PushLock anchors do not infringe the patent in issue.” 

Earlier this week, a decision by the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in Washington, D.C. overturned an Eastern District of Texas judgment against Arthrex, Inc., brought by S&N involving Arthrex’s RetroButton ACL graft fixation product. The decision wipes away a jury award of $4.7 million and dismisses the entire action against Arthrex.

Arthrex, headquartered in Naples, FL, is a worldwide leader in sports medicine product development and educational services for orthopaedic surgeons. More than 5,000 products for arthroscopic and minimally invasive orthopaedic surgical procedures have been developed by Arthrex and are currently marketed worldwide. For more information, visit www.arthrex.com.

NAPLES, FL, (June 20, 2011) - Today, the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in Washington, D.C. overturned an Eastern District of Texas judgment against Arthrex, Inc. brought by English conglomerate Smith & Nephew, Inc. (S&N) involving Arthrex’s RetroButton ACL graft fixation product. Even though four of five claims against Arthrex were dismissed prior to trial, and the claim of willful infringement dismissed by Judge T. John Ward during trial, S&N continued to pursue Arthrex. The Appeal decision wipes away a jury award of $4.7 million and dismisses the entire action against Arthrex.

“This was a victory for medical innovation and common sense,” said John W. Schmieding, Arthrex’s General Counsel. “Arthrex is resolved to continue its focus on fair and legal medical device innovation, and this ruling supports that mission." Schmieding said.

In dismissing the action, the Federal Circuit stated “Because there is no evidence of record supporting the jury’s verdict that the RetroButton infringes the ‘588 patent, JMOL is appropriate, and we must reverse.”

Arthrex, headquartered in Naples, FL, is a worldwide leader in sports medicine product development and educational services for orthopaedic surgeons. More than 5,000 products for arthroscopic and minimally invasive orthopaedic surgical procedures have been developed by Arthrex and are currently marketed worldwide.

For more information, visit www.arthrex.com.

Arthrex is pleased to announce the immediate availability of #0 FiberLoop (AR‐7253) and #0 TigerLoop (AR‐7253T). The #0 is particularly useful when whipstitching thinner grafts such as the gracilis tendon.

The same SpeedWhip™ technique (see LT0135) can be used with the #0, as with the traditional #2, but the #0 helps to minimize cut through and additional bulk in smaller tendons.

For more information visit www.arthrex.com.

With the recent preferred launch of the 2.0, 2.4, 3.0, and 4.0 mm cannulated screws, Arthrex now offers a complete set of cannulated screws from 2.0-6.7 mm for many types of bone fractures and reconstruction. Arthrex will be releasing 100 more sets (AR-8737S) of 2.0, 2.4, 3.0 and 4.0 mm screws at the end of June.

For more information visit www.arthrex.com.

The SuturePlate System has been redesigned to improve the functionality of the plates and offer better instrumentation for more reproducible surgical outcomes. The system offers multiple implant and instrument options providing surgeons a great new system to repair proximal humeral fractures.

Learn more about the Humeral SuturePlate by reading Arthrex's latest brochure on the updated system.

The Hip Arthroscope Set was designed with a clear focus on accurate and safe hip joint access during hip arthroscopic procedures. This comprehensive set of instruments includes 30° and 70° arthroscopes with dual port sheaths, as well as an innovative cannula‐bridging system that allows quick portal switching.

Learn more about Arthrex Hip Arthroscopy at hiparthroscopy.arthrex.com.

Arthrex is pleased to announce the immediate availability of the PCL TightRope. The PCL TightRope facilitates tibial fixation of the arthroscopic inlay technique. The arthroscopic inlay has been shown to provide the benefits of traditional, open inlay PCL reconstruction with the advantage of being an arthroscopic procedure.

For more information please visit  acltightrope.arthrex.com.

Congratulations to our Web Development Team!

Arthrex received the “Innovention Award” for the creation and development of the Surgical Outcome System (SOS) at the third annual Southwest Florida Regional Technology Partnership dinner in Fort Myers Thursday, May 26. The Innovention Award recognizes a Southwest Florida company that has invented, improved or demonstrated an innovative and creative technology solution.

SOS is a web-based solution that enables surgeons to easily combine patient demographics and surgical information with patient-reported clinical outcome data collected online using validated health questionnaires. SOS complies with federal regulations/laws and is compliant with the security and privacy measures of HIPAA. The software gives physicians a competitive advantage in the increasingly competitive field of orthopaedic medicine. It assists the physician and patient in selecting the best possible treatment option and in setting realistic postoperative expectations. Moreover, the evidence-based research findings that SOS produces represent an important step towards improving cost-effectiveness of orthopaedic treatment.

The SWFRTP is a Professional Technology Partnership whose goal is to develop and sustain a vibrant community of technologically diverse professionals, establish an innovation and technology cluster in the Southwest Florida area and be the leading resource to foster success for technology-oriented organizations and professionals in the Southwest Florida.

Special recognition to Uwe Kronewiter and Danny Beard, and all the individuals in Web Development, Medical Education, IT and Multimedia who contributed to this collaborative project. Additionally, two consultants, Dr. James Lubowitz and Ashley Willobee, are to be commended for their role in developing this outstanding technology solution.

Arthrex, Inc. is pleased to announce it will seek to expand its corporate facilities and employment in Collier County. Plans include a new 160,000sq. ft. biomedical operations and manufacturing facility on Oil Well Road near Ave Maria with construction commencing sometime this year. Approximately 150 employees will be located in this new facility upon completion with plans to hire hundreds more over the next several years. Arthrex is proud to be a significant, long term contributor to the Southwest Florida economy and community with significant economic diversification investments and a continuation of hiring and training of our local citizens, whenever possible.        

Arthrex, the world leader in procedure-specific arthroscopic instrumentation and implants, is proud to announce the recent acquisition of knee and hip assets from the arthroplasty division of Cardo Medical. Cardo Medical is a California-based orthopedic medical device company that designs, develops and markets high performance reconstructive devices to replace knee and hip joints that have deteriorated through disease or injury. Arthrex will acquire all of Cardo’s hip and knee assets, which include a Total Knee System, Unicompartmental Knee System, Patello Femoral Knee System and Total Hip System.

Governor Rick Scott visited Arthrex to announce a new proposal that he says would save the state of Florida $2.8 billion over the next two years. After a personal tour of the medical device manufacturing facility at Arthrex Corporate Headquarters in Naples, FL, Governor Scott explained the changes he wants to make to public pension plans in Florida. Speaking to a crowd of Arthrex employees, Governor Scott explained how the changes to Florida’s state retirement plans will help the economy and save taxpayer money. He praised Reinhold Schmieding, CEO of Arthrex, for creating new jobs in Southwest Florida and achieving the 1,000 employee hiring milestone in 2010. Governor Scott said he vowed to work hard to help businesses around the state accomplish the same economic success.