Pioneer Surgical Technology, a Marquette, MI, company that makes spinal and orthopedic implants, furthered its committment to orthobiologics yesterday, when it entered an agreement to acquire a tissue-regeneration company called Encelle. The Raleigh, NC, firm makes E-Matrix, an injectable biopolymer designed to repair or regenerate damaged tissue, and has been partnered with privately held Pioneer since March 2006 on developing products for enhanced spinal fusion. Encelle will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Pioneer Surgical Technology and will be renamed Pioneer Surgical Orthobiologics.
Pioneer, around since 1992, launched several spinal implant systems in 2005: the Quantum Spinal Rod, Pioneer Anterior Cervical Plate and its PEEK-Plus Vertebral Replacement Devices. The firm also recently received CE mark approval for its NUBAC Intradiscal System.
A successful purchase of Encelle, though, is significant, as it gives Pioneer real presence in the growing orthobiologics field, which the company says is a $1.2 billion a year market. Encelle’s E-Matrix injectable biopolymer is being tested for several indications; product development programs are already underway in tendon and bone repair, dermal wound repair, cosmetic surgery and dental applications.