FARMINGDALE, N.Y., May 4 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Misonix, Inc. , a developer of ultrasonic medical device technology for the treatment of cancer and other chronic health conditions, today announced that it has entered into a distribution agreement with Medline Industries for the SonicOne(R) Ultrasonic Wound Debridement System. Medline, a privately-held manufacturer and distributor of healthcare products with $2 billion in annual sales, has been named the exclusive distributor for Misonix’s SonicOne wound care product in the United States. Misonix internally developed the SonicOne and manufactures the product at its global headquarters in Farmingdale, Long Island, New York. As a technologically advanced ultrasonic medical device for wound care, Misonix’s intellectual property for the SonicOne is protected by patents which have already been issued as well as patents which are pending.
Medline, based in Mundelein, IL, is America’s largest privately-held national manufacturer and distributor of healthcare supplies and services. Medline provides products and services to the entire continuum of the healthcare industry, including hospitals, extended care facilities, surgery centers, physician offices and other alternative care sites.
The SonicOne allows healthcare practitioners to remove necrotic tissue, biofilm, and other impediments to successful wound healing. Commenting on the technology, Dr. David Armstrong, Professor of Surgery, Chair of Research, Director, Scholl’s Center for Lower Extremity Ambulatory Research (CLEAR), and Assistant Dean, Rosalind Franklin University, said, “Thorough and complete wound bed debridement is essential for successful wound healing. This technology appears to be promising in promoting the creation of a bed of receptive tissue to accept current and future bio-active therapies. The benefits of ultrasound are that it is naturally bacteriocidal, reduces the pain associated with standard sharp debridement, and stimulates the wound bed to develop key components of wound healing. In using the SonicOne, doctors and patients will benefit significantly through shorter and more productive treatments.”
“The SonicOne Ultrasonic Wound Debrider represents another successful realization of our strategic investment in products to be brought to market which represent potential substantial benefit to our shareholders,” commented Michael McManus, Jr., President and CEO of Misonix. “The wound care market is a very large and costly component of the world-wide healthcare system. Market data estimates that in the U.S. more than 89 million patients are treated annually for all wound conditions at costs in excess of $25 billion. Six million of these are classified as chronic wounds, which tend to affect sicker patients that cannot afford to be exposed to the open environment. We only have to look to some recent notable tragic deaths in our time that were caused by chronic non-healing wounds that lead to life terminating sepsis.”
Commenting on the U.S. distribution agreement, Mr. McManus said, “Medline, a leader in advanced wound care with a broad base of medical supplies including capital medical equipment, is a natural fit with the SonicOne Ultrasonic Wound Debrider. We had the chance to speak with many large companies but Medline was the best distributor for us in terms of domain expertise, impeccable medical practitioner support, a corporate culture similar to Misonix, and favorable marketing terms. We are excited about our relationship with Medline in launching the SonicOne in the U.S.”
A significant segment of the chronic wound market is populated by diabetics, which affects over 18 Million Americans age 20 and older. According to many leading public health experts, diabetes has become an epidemic in the U.S. Over 60% of the non-traumatic limb amputations in the country occurred among persons with diabetes. “The multi-disciplinary focus on “Limb Salvage” (vs. amputation) requires thorough debridement as a major trajectory towards healing,” explains Dr. Jeffrey Niezgoda, Medical Director of The Comprehensive Wound Care and Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, Aurora Health Care, and St. Luke’s Medical Center, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Dr. Niezgoda added, “We have reported several series of patients with wound healing compromised due to resistant organism colonization following traditional methods of wound care. After treatment with the SonicOne Ultrasonic Wound Debrider, these wounds became culture negative and demonstrated improved wound healing trajectories. The SonicOne will be the standard of care in advanced wound management and limb salvage.”
“We are proud to work with Misonix in bringing to the advanced wound market a better and more efficacious method of debridement. We believe that together with our extensive line of advanced wound therapies, the SonicOne from Misonix will help us reach our strategic goal of superior outcomes for the patients of our customers,” said Jonathan Primer, President Medline DMS Division.
About Misonix:
Misonix develops, manufactures, and markets medical, scientific, and industrial ultrasonic and air pollution systems. Misonix’s ultrasonic platform is the basis for several innovative medical technologies. Misonix has a minority equity position in Focus Surgery, Inc. which uses high intensity focused ultrasound technology to destroy deep-seated cancerous tissues without affecting surrounding healthy tissue. Addressing a combined market estimated to be in excess of $4 billion annually, Misonix’s proprietary ultrasonic medical devices are used for wound debridement, cosmetic surgery, neurosurgery, laparoscopic surgery, and other surgical and medical applications. Additional information is available on the Company’s Web site at http://www.misonix.com.
With the exception of historical information contained in this press release, content herein may contain “forward looking statements” that are made pursuant to the Safe Harbor Provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based on management’s current expectations and are subject to uncertainty and changes in circumstances. In particular, the Company may not be successful in its efforts with respect to strategic opportunities for its Laboratory and Scientific Division and the affect this activity may have on the other businesses within the Company. Investors are cautioned that forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the statements made. These factors include general economic conditions, delays and risks associated with the performance of contracts, uncertainties as a result of research and development, potential acquisitions, consumer and industry acceptance, litigation and/or court proceedings, including the timing and monetary requirements of such activities, regulatory risks including approval of pending and/or contemplated 510(k) filings, the ability to achieve and maintain profitability in the Company’s business lines, and other factors discussed in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K.
Misonix Contact: Investor Relations Contact: Richard Zaremba Jordan M. Darrow Chief Financial Officer Darrow Associates, Inc. 631-694-9555 631-367-1866 invest@misonix.comjdarrow@optonline.net
Misonix, Inc.
CONTACT: Richard Zaremba, Chief Financial Officer, +1-631-694-9555,invest@misonix.com; Investor Relations: Jordan M. Darrow of DarrowAssociates, Inc., +1-631-367-1866, jdarrow@optonline.net, for Misonix
Web site: http://www.misonix.com/
