ST. PAUL, Minn., Oct. 31 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Synovis Life Technologies, Inc. , announced today that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has issued the company a patent for its Peri-Strips(R) circular stapler buttress. This buttress, like the linear version pioneered by Synovis, is used to reinforce surgical staple lines and reduce the risk of leaks of air, blood or bodily fluids that can cause surgical complications. The circular buttress has applications in bariatric surgery to treat morbid obesity, as well as in colorectal surgery to treat colon cancer.
“We are proud to develop products that benefit the practice of surgery and improve patient outcomes,” said Karen Gilles Larson, chief executive officer of Synovis Life Technologies. “This patent indicates the value of the investment we made to develop the circular buttress. Synovis is committed to making research and development investments in new technologies and products and in patents to protect them. We foresee a sizable market opportunity for this product in bariatric and colon surgery.”
Synovis is the first to market with a circular stapler buttress. Currently, the circular buttress is being marketed in bariatric surgery and is available on a controlled basis in colorectal surgery. The company is in the process of collecting clinical data generated by several leading colorectal surgeons using the product.
The surgical business develops, manufactures and markets implantable, biomaterial devices to reduce the risks of critical surgeries, leading to better patient outcomes and lower costs. In addition, the surgical business develops, manufactures and markets surgical tools to facilitate these surgeries.
About Synovis Life Technologies
Synovis Life Technologies, Inc., based in St. Paul, Minn., is a diversified medical device company engaged in developing, manufacturing and bringing to market medical devices for the surgical and interventional treatment of disease. For additional information on Synovis Life Technologies and its businesses, visit the company’s Web site at http://www.synovislife.com .
Forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The statements can be identified by words such as “should”, “could”, “may”, “will”, “expect”, “believe”, “anticipate”, “estimate”, “continue”, or other similar expressions. Certain important factors that could cause results to differ materially from those anticipated by the forward-looking statements made herein include the timing of product introductions, outcomes of clinical and market trials as well as regulatory submissions, the number of certain surgical procedures performed, the level of orders from contract manufacturing customers, and the effectiveness of the company’s transition to a domestic direct sales force in its surgical business, as well as the other factors found in the company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended October 31, 2005.
Synovis Life Technologies, Inc.
CONTACT: Nancy A. Johnson, +1-612-455-1745, or, Marian Briggs, +1-612-455-1742 both of Padilla Speer Beardsley Inc.; or, Brett Reynolds, CFO ofSynovis Life Technologies, Inc., +1-651-796-7300
