Bioventus Enters Into Agreement With IBSA For Rights To GELSYN-3

DURHAM, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Bioventus, a global leader in orthobiologic solutions, today announced it has entered into a multi-year agreement with IBSA (Institut Biochimique SA), a pharmaceutical company based in Switzerland, to secure the exclusive US distribution rights for GELSYN-3^™, a three-injection, hyaluronic acid (HA) product for pain relief associated with osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

“GELSYN-3 gives patients, physicians and payers an effective and safe option for OA pain management.1 HA products can help patients live a more active lifestyle and have been shown recently to potentially delay the time to total knee replacement.”

“The addition of GELSYN-3 aligns with our strategy to offer a three-injection HA product to the US market,” said Tony Bihl, CEO of Bioventus. “GELSYN-3 gives patients, physicians and payers an effective and safe option for OA pain management.¹ HA products can help patients live a more active lifestyle and have been shown recently to potentially delay the time to total knee replacement.”²

Hyaluronic acid products, also known as viscosupplements, are used to lubricate and cushion joints and relieve arthritis pain. GELSYN-3 is indicated for relief of knee pain for up to 26 weeks and received premarket approval from FDA in 2014. Bioventus plans to enter the three-injection HA market and launch GELSYN-3 in Q3 2016.

About IBSA

IBSA Institut Biochimique SA was founded in 1945 by a group of Swiss biologists with its head office in Lugano. IBSA Institut Biochimique represents the headquarters of the IBSA group. After an initial phase of consolidation at national level, IBSA experienced a period of rapid expansion and even developed an international reputation starting in 1985, the year in which the current chairman took over as head of the company.

Under the new management the company adopted a strategy of optimizing the use of active ingredients for developing innovative pharmaceutical forms capable of improving patient compliance and the treatment required. The activities cover 7 main treatment areas (pain/inflammation, rheumatology, reproduction and fertility, endocrinology, urology, dermatology and dermocosmetics, respiratory), with over 60 exclusive patents. Currently the IBSA group employs over 1,800 people and is present in over 80 countries through partnerships and local subsidiaries in Italy, France, Hungary, Slovak Republic, Poland, Turkey, China and Scandinavia.

The production facilities are in Switzerland, Italy and the Far East and all are in strict compliance with the highest standards of quality and in line with current regulations. By controlling the steps from production to the delivery of the finished product, IBSA is capable of guaranteeing high quality standards for all products from the various therapeutic areas.

For more information, visit www.ibsa-international.com

About Bioventus

Bioventus LLC is an orthobiologics company that delivers clinically proven, cost-effective products that help people heal quickly and safely. Its mission is to make a difference by helping patients resume and enjoy active lives. Bioventus has two product portfolios for orthobiologics, Bioventus Active Healing Therapies and Bioventus Surgical that make it a global leader in active orthopaedic healing. Built on a commitment to high quality standards, evidence-based medicine and strong ethical behavior, Bioventus is a trusted partner for physicians worldwide.

For more information, visit www.BioventusGlobal.com and follow the company on Twitter @Bioventusglobal

1. Pavelka K and Uebelhart D. Efficacy evaluation of highly purified intra-articular hyaluronic acid (Sinovial^®) vs hylan G-F20 (Synvisc^®) in the treatment of symptomatic knee osteoarthritis. A double-blind, controlled, randomized, parallel-group non-inferiority study. Osteoarthritis Cartilage 19 (2011):1294-1300.

2. Altman R, Lim S, Steen RG, Dasa V. Hyaluronic acid injections are associated with delay of total knee replacement surgery in patients with knee osteoarthritis: evidence from a large U.S. health claims database. PLoS One. 2015;10(12):e0145776.

GELSYN-3 is indicated for the treatment of pain in osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee in patients who have failed to respond adequately to conservative non-pharmacologic therapy and simple analgesics (e.g., acetaminophen). GELSYN-3 is not to be administered to patients with known hypersensitivity (allergy) to sodium hyaluronate preparations and should not be injected into the knees of patients having knee joint infections or skin diseases or infections in the area of the injection site.

Bioventus, the Bioventus logo and GELSYN-3 are registered trademarks of Bioventus. Sinovial is a registered trademark of IBSA. Synvisc is a registered trademark of Genzyme Corporation.