Orchid Orthopedic Solutions CEO Nate Folkert discusses Orchid and the changing landscape of contract manufacturing

With locations around the globe, Orchid Orthopedic Solutions has partnered with established medical device companies, start-ups and surgeon entrepreneurs. The Company, which was established in 2005, has evolved to include facilities at 13 locations worldwide offering a range of services from contract design and development through finished goods manufacturing and packaging.

Orchid CEO Nate Folkert discusses his recent transition from the device company side of the Orthopedic business to the supply side, the evolving nature of the supply side business and the changes that have come about as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Click on the following video to listen to SmartTRAK’s interview with Folkert recorded live via Zoom (15:09 min). A complete transcript of the interview, with a link to download it, is also provided below.

After the pandemic derailed the market in Q220, Total Joints was getting back on track in Q3

The COVID-19 pandemic derailed the Total Joints Market in Q220 with stay-at-home orders and elective procedure shutdowns. But the market seemed back on track in Q320 as elective procedural volumes increased and revenues neared pre-COVID levels. With the market chugging along, the US Total Joints Market experienced positive growth during the quarter of +2.5%, according to SmartTRAK Financial Dashboard. The Hip Market was able to quickly gain steam due to the less elective nature of the procedure compared to Knees. In Q320, the US Hip Market grew +7.6% compared to the US Knee Market which was nearing pre-COVID levels at -1.1%.

Among the many topics covered in the comprehensive Q320 Total Joints Market Recap* are:

Companies turn to M&A deals to help them climb the Extremities mountain in the face of market challenges resulting from the COVID-19 Pandemic

No less than six notable acquisitions have taken place or been announced in the Extremities Market in 2020 despite the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. In Q220, the US Extremities Market dropped -25% with Upper Extremities down -27.3% YoY and the Foot & Ankle segment at -21.1%, according to SmartTRAK Financial Dashboard. Despite this fall due to the shutdown of elective procedures in Q2 and the subsequent struggles to gain ground as patients return for surgery, these companies are climbing the mountain to gain share and build their presence in Extremities.

The full force of elective procedure shutdowns blasted away at the Total Joints Market in Q220, but Knees took the biggest hit as a higher percentage of knee replacements are considered elective.

As a result of COVID-19, elective procedure shutdowns in early Q220 blasted away at revenue results for the US Total Joints Market. When the dust settled, the US Market for Hips and Knees was down -41.9% according to SmartTRAK Financial Dashboard. US Knees experienced the biggest hit due to its exposure from a higher percentage of elective procedures compared to Hips. US Hips did not come through unscathed but suffered less damage.

Among the many topics covered in the comprehensive Q220 Total Joints Market Recap* are:

Ascension and HOPCo partner together to develop a creative musculoskeletal care platform that could expand across the US

The shift to value-based care in orthopedics has fueled the ongoing debate about the appropriate site-of-care for musculoskeletal conditions – ambulatory surgery center (ASC) vs hospital. However, Ascension Florida and Gulf Coast (Ascension), a part of one of the US’ leading non-profit and Catholic health systems, has a broader more inclusive vision to expand musculoskeletal care in their Florida and Gulf Coast area at the highest possible quality.

Ascension’s vision led them to join forces with the Healthcare Outcomes Performance Company (HOPCo), a company that facilitates the shift to value-based musculoskeletal care, and with Southeast Orthopedic Specialists (Southeast), the largest independent orthopedic practice in the Jacksonville area. In July, Ascension and HOPCo signed an agreement to create and develop a continuum-of-care musculoskeletal platform.

While reverse TSA has grown in popularity, is it always the best option?

Reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (RTSA) was a hot topic during the Current Concepts in Joint Replacement (CCJR) Spring 2020 meeting, held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Several Orthopaedic Crossfire discussions revolved around RTSA, and surgeons debated several issues, including whether RTSA should be the standard of care for glenohumeral arthritis. The reverse shoulder market segment comprised 54.6% of US Shoulder Market revenue in 2019, compared to 37.1% for anatomic shoulders, according to SmartTRAK estimates.

The Extremities Market was on track to post a strong Q120 finish but due to COVID-19 the market pulled up short

The Extremities Market was in position to post a strong finish in Q120, driven by gains in the US. But the market pulled up short due to the postponement of elective and non-urgent procedures resulting in the US Extremities Market, declining -1.9%, according to SmartTRAK Financial Dashboard.

Among the many topics covered in the comprehensive Q120 Extremities Market Recap* are:

COVID-19 pandemic hit the brakes mid-March resulting in a quick growth slow-down

Q120 was looking like a strong first quarter following Q420’s 4.5% YoY growth, the highest rate seen in the US Total Joints Market for several years. But, the COVID-19 pandemic and the institution of stay-at-home orders in most US states put the brakes on elective procedures in March, resulting in -4.8%, according to SmartTRAK Financial Dashboard. The postponement of procedures and the resulting downturn in revenue late in Q120 also resulted in orthopedic companies withdrawing guidance due to uncertainty about the timing of recovery.

Among the many topics covered in the comprehensive Q120 US Total Joints Market Recap* are:

New research shows excellent results for anatomic TSA using a stemless humeral component with an inlay glenoid. Dr. Gregory Nicholson gives the breakdown on the research, indications, market acceptance and limitations. 

In the market for total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA), younger, active patients with degenerative conditions of the glenohumeral joint are a unique and more complicated population for surgeons to treat with TSA. Challenges in treating this cohort include higher functional demands that can lead to implant wear and failure. However, a recent study suggests a new implant design might be a good option these types of patients, potentially filling a treatment gap and expanding the market for TSA.