MUNDELEIN, IL--(Marketwire - June 10, 2010) - Medline Industries, Inc., the nation's largest privately held manufacturer and distributor of healthcare supplies, announced today the signing of an exclusive agreement with Proxy Biomedical Limited to distribute its surgical mesh biomaterials for the repair and reinforcement of tissue. The agreement includes MotifMESH® and VitaMESH® products for the repair and reinforcement of hernia and other fascial defects requiring additional support of a non-absorbable implant during and after wound healing.
"This exciting venture is another enhancement to our growing line of surgical suite products that provide both clinical and economical value to our customers," said Marc Lessem, divisional vice president, Medline. "Our partnership in the hernia repair market is consistent with this strategy and we expect to use this as a foundation for developing an even more robust product offering."
Ventral hernia repairs account for approximately 420,000 hernia repair operations annually in the U.S.(1) When a ventral hernia occurs, it usually arises in the abdominal wall where the muscle has weakened or where a previous surgical incision was made.(2)
MotifMESH® is an ideal mesh for ventral hernia repair because it is made from a unique "condensed" polytetrafluoroethylene (cPTFE) polymer. It has a macroporous structure which allows rapid incorporation into the abdominal wall while offering a reduction in adhesion formation to the cPTFE surface. It is the thinnest mesh available for ventral hernia repair at nearly 10X thinner than the two most commonly promoted intra-abdominal meshes.
More common than ventral hernias are inguinal (or groin) hernias, which account for approximately 700,000 hernia operations annually in the U.S.(3) Statistically, the lifetime chance of having an inguinal hernia is 27 percent for men and 3 percent for women.(4) The surgical operation is intended to repair a protrusion of abdominal-cavity contents occurring through the inguinal canal. VitaMESH is a strong, lower weight, transparent and easy to manipulate condensed polypropylene material making it a perfect choice for both laparoscopic and open hernia repairs. It is comprised of large interstices providing excellent visibility through the mesh forming a strong, fibrous wall.
"We believe our technology advances care in this market space, and we have sought a national distribution strategy to deliver our message. Worldwide, surgeons have successfully implanted over 10,000 of our surgical mesh devices," commented Peter Gingras, managing director, Proxy Biomedical. "Medline provides us with a professional sales organization and the logistical infrastructure needed to provide optimal service. Together, we expect to provide a full line of clinically effective hernia repair products."
1 U.S. Markets for Soft tissue repair 2008. September 2007. Millennium Research Group.
2 Patient Information for Laparoscopic Ventral Hernia Repair from SAGES. Mar. 2004. Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES). 7 June 2010 (http://www.sages.org/publication/id/PI10/).
3 Rutkow I M. et al. Demographic, classificatory and socioeconomic aspects of hernia repair in the United States.
Surg Clin North Am. (1993); 73: 413-426. [PubMed]
4 John T Jenkins, Patrick J O'Dwyer (2008). "Inguinal hernias." BMJ 336: 269-272.
doi:10.1136/bmj.39450.428275.AD.
About Proxy Biomedical Limited
Founded in 2002, Proxy Biomedical Limited, located in Galway, Ireland, is a privately held, life science company engaged in commercializing proprietary biomaterials for the repair and reinforcement of tissue. Proxy Biomedical's proprietary surgical mesh products include MotifMESH and VitaMESH, which are CE marked for distribution within the European Community and FDA cleared for market within the United States.
About Medline Industries, Inc.
Medline, the nation's largest privately held manufacturer and distributor of healthcare products, manufactures and distributes more than 100,000 products to hospitals, extended-care facilities, surgery centers, home care dealers and agencies. Headquartered in Mundelein, Ill., Medline has more than 900 dedicated sales representatives nationwide to support its broad product line and cost management services.
Over the past five years, Medline has been the fastest-growing distributor of medical and surgical supplies in the U.S., serving as the primary distributor to over 450 major hospitals and healthcare systems. As a leading distributor, Medline offers a comprehensive array of consulting and management services encompassing the supply chain and logistics, utilization and standardization, business tools and enhanced reporting capabilities and on-staff clinicians.
Medline has a growing network of 32 distribution centers around the country, as well as an expanding, dedicated transportation fleet with over 200 vehicles in a variety of sizes to fit customers' specific delivery needs. The fleet is equipped with the latest navigation devices for enhanced order tracking and communication.
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