SmartTRAK highlights what’s new in orthopedics and sports medicine, with a spotlight on Smith & Nephew (SNN). We constantly monitor the worldwide MedTech industry, sifting through the noise to present to our subscribers the most relevant international news, trends, new products, patents, research, financial data and competitor developments in the global life sciences industry.

The following is a sampling of recent market updates covering Smith & Nephew that were compiled, reviewed and posted in real time by our SmartTRAK analysts covering the markets for Computer Assisted Surgery, Extremities, OrthoBio, Soft Tissue Fixation, Total Joints and Trauma.

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.

In the Sports Medicine market, companies with soft tissue fixation products continue to innovate and pursue patents that provide a window into company ideas, concepts and future technologies. SmartTRAK takes a look at the top competitors in this space, including Arthrex, Smith & Nephew, DePuy Synthes, Zimmer Biomet, Stryker and CONMED Linvatec.

Freddy Buntoum, SmartTRAK’s Sr. Analyst, Regenerative Medicine and Sports Medicine, highlights recently granted patents and published patent applications in soft tissue fixation that describe novel methods, techniques, materials and devices for the repair and reconstruction of soft tissue injuries in the shoulder, extremities, hip and knee.

In the market for Peripheral Nerve Stimulation (PNS), companies are developing new wireless or minimally invasive technologies with novel waveforms and form factors designed to treat a wide variety of applications and unmet clinical needs, including for the treatment of intractable migraines, chronic intractable postoperative pain, suprascapular neuralgia, low back pain, tibial/ankle pain, stroke rehab, overactive bladder and tibial nerve stimulation, to name a few.

Companies competing in the market for PNS include Stimwave Technologies*, Nalu Medical*, SPR Therapeutics, Bioness and Cala Health among others. To find out more about these companies and what’s new for PNS, SmartTRAK highlights market updates covering the top news, clinical studies, reimbursement and patents in PNS so far in 2020.

Changes proposed in the CMS 2021 Proposed Rules could weigh heavily on the Spine market if enacted.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released its Proposed Rules for the Physician Fee Schedule as well as the Outpatient and ASC Payment System for calendar year 2021. There were a number of new and unanticipated proposals within each of the Rules that are likely to have a profound impact on spinal surgery should they be adopted in the Final Rules later this year. A few of the highlights, including those concerning the Physician Fee Schedules and Hospital Outpatient and ASC Payment Systems, are included in the complete article.

To learn more about these and other proposed rule changes, click the button below to read the full article.

MedTech Strategist reported that In May of this year, the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions conducted "an online survey of 50 clinical and service line leaders at US provider organizations on their deferred procedures". With the return of elective procedures being integral to a comeback for the MedTech industry, the results of that survey suggest that the path to resuming these procedures is becoming more complicated.

According to the Deloitte survey, "Respondents expect the return to pre-COVID-19 productivity volumes to take two to six months, with three months the typical estimate. When asked to list their top concerns about resuming deferred procedures, providers say a second coronavirus outbreak is their biggest worry (82%)". It appears that their biggest fear, a COVID-19 resurgence, may be coming to pass.

The following is just a small sampling of recent updates regarding the Life Sciences industry's COVID-related delayed procedures and what an impact a resurgence may have. These updates are compiled, reviewed and posted in real-time by our SmartTRAK analysts, who are constantly monitoring the situation and sifting through the noise to present the most relevant news to our subscribers:

Despite the uncertainty of COVID-19, Skin Substitutes (CTPs) continue to push the boundaries in Advanced Wound Care with impressive clinical studies, new products and technologies, and changing market dynamics.

Despite the unpredictability of COVID-19, skin substitutes (CTPs – cellular and/or tissue-based products) continue to be a hot area of research, innovation and investment in the market for Advanced Wound Care (AWC). This segment is comprised of an assortment of products, including human dermal allografts, amniotic tissue allografts, xenografts, cell-based bioengineered and most recently synthetic type products. Wounds most often treated with these products include diabetic foot ulcers, venous leg ulcers, pressure ulcers, challenging surgical wounds, trauma wounds and burns. In addition, these wounds are treated in a variety of settings that include the hospital outpatient department (HOPD) wound clinic, physician office, surgical suite and burn center. In the following article, SmartTRAK reviews the latest news on skin substitutes (CTPs) from SAWC Spring 2020 and provides an update on investment activities as well as reimbursement and market trends amid COVID-19.

We are pleased to announce that Matt Golembeski has joined the team at SmartTRAK as Director of Sales. Matt has 15+ of sales and sales management experience in the medical device industry with a concentration in spine and spine-supportive technologies.

COVID-19 hit the SCS market hard in Q220 as shutdowns and widespread procedure cancellations led to a dramatic decline in SCS revenues.

COVID-19 clobbered the SCS market in Q220 as shutdowns and widespread procedure cancellations led to a dramatic decline in SCS revenues, with the biggest impact in April across all geographies. For Q220, WW SCS revenues tumbled down -38.1% vs Q219, and US SCS revenue dropped by -37.7% YoY according to SmartTRAK Financial Dashboard.

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

Q220 brought unexpected strong demand for orthopedic robotics, despite the COVID-19 pandemic.

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, Q220 brought in unexpected strong demand for orthopedic robotics. Companies rose to the challenge through flexible business models to accommodate limitations in short-term hospital financial constraints through increased financing and implant volume commitments. The unexpected strength in robotics revenues also demonstrated a rebound in elective (total joint) procedures that is expected to normalize in early 2021.

Among the many topics covered in the comprehensive Q220 CAS Ortho Market Recap* are: