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SmartTRAK Life Sciences News and Analysis Blog

3 min read

2025 NASS Innovation NetWORK Summit

By Erin Dorgan on 7/15/25 9:30 AM

NASS Executive Director and CEO Eric Muehlbauer discusses NASS’s new Innovation NetWORK Summit in an interview with SmartTRAK. 

SmartTRAK Senior Analyst Erin Dorgan interviewed North American Spine Society (NASS) Executive Director and CEO Eric Muehlbauer, MJ, CAE, at the new NASS Innovation NetWORK Summit held June 20-21, 2025 in Chicago. The Innovation NetWORK Summit is a novel meeting where surgeons, engineers, medtech and other spine professional can network and collaborate about bringing innovative spine devices to market.

To find out more about this new meeting, click on the following video to listen to the interview (11:46 min). A link to download a complete transcript of the interview is also provided below.


Interview Transcript

SmartTRAK: Hi, this is Erin Dorgan with SmartTRAK. Today I am talking with Eric Muehlbauer, CEO and executive director of the North American Spine Society. Eric, thank you for taking the time to meet with me today. Can you share a little bit more about the meeting? Why is it important? And give some more details behind it.

Eric Muehlbauer: Thanks for having me on. We're very interested to see where this goes. NASS has always evolved as it needed to based on what's going on in the field. For a long time we were almost viewed as anti-industry with our ethics rules and things like that. What we've realized is that the field needs us to help stimulate innovation. There's lots of people who do innovation-type meetings or different tracks. We've got a particular reputation in the field, especially with payers, that might make this a little bit more interesting and get a little more traction. So I kind of call where we're at now, NASS 3.0, because we've had to evolve because of ...

Click the button below to download and read the complete transcript of SmartTRAK's interview with NASS Executive Director and CEO Eric Muehlbauer, conducted by Erin Dorgan, SmartTRAK Sr. Analyst, Spine & Bone Replacement.Get the Transcript

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2 min read

SmartTRAK at SNIS 2025

By Anne Staylor on 7/11/25 6:39 PM

SmartTRAK is excited to attend the Society of Neurointerventional Surgery’s (SNIS) 22nd Annual Meeting & Fellows Course in Nashville, Tennessee, from July 14-18, 2025. Anne Staylor, VP/GM of Neuro Therapies, will cover the latest news at the conference and provide updates on key studies, trends, and technologies affecting the market for ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke devices. 

Meanwhile, click the image below to watch Anne’s video update on the US Market for Mechanical Thrombectomy in 2025.

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3 min read

Spinal Simplicity: Innovation in MIS Treatments Improving Patient Care

By Erin Dorgan on 7/11/25 11:00 AM

Spinal Simplicity’s Chief Strategy Officer Neil P. Dougherty shares how the company is advancing minimally invasive solutions to enhance patient outcomes.

Neil P. Dougherty, chief strategy officer of Spinal Simplicity, discusses the company’s position in the interventional spine and pain market, what the company looks forward to in the future and how it serves patients treated by spine surgeons and interventional pain management physicians.

Click on the following video (17:18 min) to learn more. A link to download a complete transcript of the interview is also provided below.

 

SmartTRAK: Hi, this is Erin Dorgan with SmartTRAK. I'm here today with Neil Dougherty, chief strategy officer with Spinal Simplicity. Thanks for joining me today, Neil.

Neil P Dougherty: Glad to be here. Thanks, Erin.

You're welcome. Can you share a little bit more about what you do at Spinal Simplicity? I know, based upon your background, you've been in the interventional space for a while. How did you end up here at Spinal Simplicity?

NPD: Well, in a startup you wear a lot of hats. So I came to Spinal Simplicity first as a vice president of sales and then moved over to focus on just business development and more of an offensive role for our expansion. And as the company grew, an opportunity for promotion was there to get to my now title, chief strategy officer.

I have been in the interventional pain space for a long time. Gosh, it's about 15 years now. Started with Medtronic, doing spinal cord stimulators and intrathecal pumps--just over five years there. Then went over to Vertiflex in that startup campaign bought by Boston Scientific and only a year of integration there after that purchase.

And then how could you forget? When the whole world basically shut down during COVID, I was kind of losing my mind a little bit. I had a couple phone calls from some doctors and also Todd Moseley, the CEO of Spinal Simplicity, and founder. And I started learning more about Spinal Simplicity. I saw their main product, Minuteman. I was like, ‘This is where I need to be.’

Okay. So speaking of Minuteman, and obviously with your background, Boston Scientific recently discontinued Vertiflex Superion. Do you think that is an opportunity for Spinal Simplicity and Minuteman to explore those customers? Or how would you describe that?

NPD: I think so. I'd like to describe it as just an acceleration to where most of those customers were probably going to graduate anyway. Superion was a great idea. I mean, it wasn't even a Vertiflex idea. This is, indirect decompression has been a great studied spine idea for a long time and it certainly wasn't the first ISP out there, but the aim is ...

Click the button below to download and read the complete transcript of SmartTRAK's interview with Neil P. Dougherty, CSO of Spinal Simplicity conducted by Erin Dorgan, SmartTRAK Sr Analyst, Spine & Bone Replacement.Get the Transcript

Topics: Spine
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2 min read

BA Summit and AANA Join Forces to Share Orthobiologic Insights

By David Shepard on 7/8/25 9:30 AM

SmartTRAK provides insights into the latest trends, research and consensus opinions in surgical Orthobiologic treatments and non-operative regenerative medicine from this year’s BA Summit and AANA meetings.

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2 min read

Deals in Advanced Wound Care

By Susan Paquette on 7/1/25 9:30 AM

Nearly half a billion in US dollars has been invested in Advanced Wound Care over the last 18 months. Learn where the money is going.

Over the past three years the global Advanced Wound Care Market has almost doubled, an exciting market for investment according to SmartTRAK estimates. The biggest deal in Advanced Wound Care (AWC) has been Coloplast's acquisition of Kerecis in 2023. Kerecis, a startup in the US Skin Substitute Market, demonstrated strong growth and the potential to have a global presence, justifying the high price. Startups have been a key component of the market, with new technologies and products over the years, and have been advancing their portfolios through IPOs, strategic partnerships, and investments. 

This downloadable article reviews the recent top deals and investment trends in AWC, including:

  • Recent Global Wound Care Investments
    • Top Deals and Investments Jan 2024 through June 2025
  • Market Trends
    • Although the US Skin Substitute/ CAMPs Market has seen exponential growth in the last few years, that isn't where global investment is occurring.
  • Investment by Geography
    • US and Canada Wound Care Investments
    • UK, Europe, and Rest of World (ROW)
  • Early-Stage Investments
    • Non-Dilutive Funding Sources
    • Strategic and Insurance Provider Investments

Want to know which deals are shaping the future of wound care? Click below to download the full article, “Deals in Advanced Wound Care,” co-authored by Dr. Mitchell C. Sanders, CEO, ProDevLabs and Susan Paquette, SmartTRAK Senior Advisor, Wound, to get a firsthand look at the key investment trends driving this dynamic market.

Get the Article

Topics: Wound Care
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2 min read

SmartTRAK and Foot Innovate Launch Strategic Partnership to Deliver Next-Level Foot & Ankle Market Intelligence

By Gabriele Nichols on 6/24/25 2:34 PM

SmartTRAK, the leading provider of actionable market intelligence for orthopedic companies, and Foot Innovate, the premier platform for Foot & Ankle (F&A) surgeon education and clinical insights, are excited to announce a strategic co-marketing partnership. This collaboration brings together two industry leaders to launch a cutting-edge F&A market research solution that fuses robust analytics with real-world surgeon experience.

The joint offering blends SmartTRAK’s trusted data expertise with Foot Innovate’s deep network of engaged surgeons to deliver a

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2 min read

Scientia Vascular: Innovating to Disrupt Stroke Care

By Anne Staylor on 6/24/25 9:30 AM

Scientia Vascular CEO Rick Randall discusses the company, its novel technology and plans for growth in an interview with SmartTRAK. 

Scientia Vascular CEO Rick Randall discusses the company’s recent leadership transition, his priorities and vision as CEO and what’s next for the company in a recent interview with SmartTRAK.

Click on the following video (36:39 min) to learn more about the company, its differentiated microfabrication technology, product portfolio, marketing strategies and growth plans. Interview topics by timecode are provided below, as is a link to download a complete transcript of the interview.

 

Interview Outline by Timecode:

00:06 Introduction to Scientia Vascular, CEO Rick Randall, the leadership transition and his priorities as CEO.
05:08 Innovative products, new technologies, market positioning and differentiating Scientia in a crowded market.
09:54 Leveraging microfabrication technology and expanding the product portfolio.
14:18 Future directions in neurovascular and peripheral vascular. Clinical research and product validation.
22:07 Company growth and market strategy. Leading products and revenue mix.
26:59 Market share and business evolution.
29:26 Financing strategies and future investments.
31:57 Long-term growth strategies and potential IPO.

Click the button below to download and read the complete transcript of SmartTRAK's interview with Scientia Vascular CEO Rick Randall conducted by Anne Staylor, SmartTRAK Executive Editor, VP & GM of Neuro Therapies.Get the Transcript

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3 min read

Anika Therapeutics: Innovations in Early Orthopedic Interventions

By Freddy Buntoum on 6/23/25 10:03 AM

Dr Cheryl Blanchard, president and CEO of Anika Therapeutics, discusses the company, technology and developments for future growth in an interview with SmartTRAK.

In a recent interview with SmartTRAK, Dr. Cheryl Blanchard, president and CEO of Anika Therapeutics, discussed the company’s strategic direction, proprietary technology and advancements in its next-generation osteoarthritis (OA) pain management and regenerative solutions.

To find out more about the company, its differentiated technologies, products and growth strategy, click on the following video (26:40 min).

Interview topics by timecode are provided below, as is a link to download a complete transcript of the interview.


Interview Outline by Timecode:

00:20 Introduction to Anika Therapeutics, president and CEO Dr. Cheryl Blanchard and the company’s strategy.
01:14 The US OA Injectables Market and Anika’s next-generation OA pain solution, Cingal.
02:52 Cingal’s advantages and how it fit in the treatment continuum.
04:56 Cingal’s positioning and clinical trials’ progress.
10:47 Marketing communication, commercial and pricing approach and beyond knee OA.
13:42 Hyalofast, Anika’s next-generation cartilage repair solution.
17:25 Anika’s regenerative platform and the Integrity Implant System.
19:54 Cheryl Blanchard’s take on the next major disruptive force.
22:42 Thoughts around healthcare policy changes, tariffs uncertainty and other macro trends.

Click the button below to download and read the complete transcript of SmartTRAK's interview with Dr. Cheryl Blanchard, president and CEO of Anika Therapeutics, conducted by  Freddy Buntoum, SmartTRAK Senior Analyst, Orthobiologics and Regenerative Medicine.Get the Transcript

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2 min read

FDA Guidance Documents Could Seriously Impact Access to Allograft Tissue

By David Shepard on 6/17/25 9:44 AM

Companies breathe a temporary sigh of relief as the FDA reissues its guidance documents that could reduce allograft availability.

Manufacturers of allograft tissue and the medical device companies that market these products felt more at ease as the FDA reissued guidance set to take effect on May 4, with a new deadline for public comment on July 7. According to the American Association of Tissue Banks (AATB), the recommendations in their current form could reduce the availability of allograft tissues by 40%. The FDA’s recommendations aim to mitigate the risk of sepsis and Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) transmission when screening potential donors.

The tissue and blood banking industries have urged the agency to withdraw its current guidance and engage in a dialogue to review the actions already taken to mitigate the risk of disease transmission related to sepsis and Mtb. In this article, SmartTRAK examines new FDA recommendations, the concerns raised by these associations and their potential impact on the more than 2.5MM tissue transplants and over 15MM blood transfusions performed annually.

The topics covered in this downloadable SmartTRAK Perspective article are:

  • Background to the Release of the Guidance Document 
  • Origin of the Issue
  • Guidelines Published by the FDA 
  • Coordinated Response and Concerns from Trade Organizations
  • Companies and Products Potentially Impacted
  • Next Steps 

Click the button below to download and read the complete "FDA Guidance Documents Could Seriously Impact Access to Allograft Tissue" article by  David Shepard, SmartTRAK Lead Analyst, Orthobio & Regen.Get the Article

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2 min read

Insights Involving Real-World Evidence and Wound Care

By Elizabeth Anderson on 6/12/25 10:33 AM

Caroline Fife, MD, CMO of Intellicure and Executive Director of the US Wound Registry, discusses real-world evidence in wound care and other topics in an interview with SmartTRAK. 

Caroline Fife, MD, discusses insights from the Intellicure database about what diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) and venous leg ulcer (VLU) patients look like, the role of real-world evidence in wound care and the challenges in treating wound care patients.

To find out more, including the challenges for manufacturers and the systemic issues in wound care and payment policies, click on the following video to listen to the interview (37:48 min). A link to download the complete transcript of the interview is provided below. Interview topics by timecode are also provided below. 

 

Interview Outline by Timecode: 

00:30 Overlap between diabetic foot ulcers and venous leg ulcers.
08:19 Challenges in wound classification and diagnosis.
14:02 Limitations of randomized controlled trials and the role of real-world evidence.
17:38 Potential for biomarkers and intermediate outcome measures.
21:57 Neglected wound types and nutritional deficiencies.
29:14 Barriers to wound care implementation.
32:50 Opportunities for change in wound care practices.
34:31 Local coverage determinations (LCDs) and manufacturer challenges.
35:16 Systemic issues in wound care and payment policies.

Click the button below to download and read the complete transcript of SmartTRAK's interview with Caroline Fife, MD, CMO of Intellicure, conducted by  Elizabeth Anderson, SmartTRAK Senior Analyst, Wound Biologics.Get the Transcript

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