Ceterix Orthopaedics Awarded New Patent for Circumferential Suturing Method in Meniscus Repair

FREMONT, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Ceterix^® Orthopaedics today announced the issuance of a new patent related to the company’s method of placing a suture around a tear to affect a meniscus repair¹, adding to the company’s already robust portfolio of issued patents.

Ceterix’s new patent further protects the company’s unique products and methods that allow surgeons to arthroscopically pass suture through soft tissue in very tight joint compartments. Specifically, the new patent covers the company’s proprietary method of arthroscopically placing a circumferential compression stitch around a tear in the knee meniscus.

The knee meniscus sits tightly between the femur and tibia, and is surrounded by critical nerves, arteries and cartilage. Using the NovoStitch^®Plus Meniscal Repair System, surgeons can work within that tight compartment to place a stabilizing circumferential compression stitch around a meniscus tear.

“The circumferential compression stitch is the only meniscus repair technique that treats the femoral and tibial sides of the tear simultaneously,” said Dr. Justin Saliman, founder and chief medical officer of Ceterix. “Other methods do an inadequate job of sewing the tibial side, which can lead to healing of the femoral side only and may lead to eventual re-tearing.”

“This new patent further establishes our leadership in meniscal repair,” said John McCutcheon, president and CEO of Ceterix. “We are proud that our NovoStitch Plus Meniscal Repair System is supported by more than 180 issued claims related to its minimally invasive technology enabling orthopaedic surgeons to treat complex tears with suture patterns that were not previously possible.”

Arthroscopic surgery is a minimally-invasive procedure in which an orthopaedic surgeon treats the damaged joint through small incisions using specialized tools guided by a tiny camera called an arthroscope. Meniscus surgery is the most common arthroscopic procedure in the United States, with roughly one million performed annually.

About Ceterix Orthopaedics

Founded in 2010 with the vision of improving outcomes of arthroscopic procedures, Ceterix^® Orthopaedics develops surgical tools that expand and improve what is possible for physicians who treat soft tissue joint injuries such as meniscus tears. Ceterix’s novel meniscal repair system enables surgeons to place suture patterns that were previously only possible in open procedures, or not at all. The NovoStitch Plus meniscal repair system has received 510k clearance in the United States and is indicated for approximation of soft tissue in meniscal repair procedures. The company is based in Fremont, Calif. and is backed by investors Versant Ventures, 5AM Ventures and CRG. For more information, please visit www.ceterix.com.

1. U.S. Patent No.: 9,861,354