WARSAW, Ind., Jan. 8 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Zimmer Holdings, Inc. , a leader in the orthopaedic industry, announced today that the first Zimmer(R) DTO(TM) Implant cases have been completed in the United States. The Zimmer DTO implant combines the Dynesys(R) Dynamic Stabilization System with the rigid stabilization of the OPTIMA(TM) ZS Spinal System to offer a new segmental solution for treating different stages of spinal degeneration at contiguous levels.
“The introduction of the Zimmer DTO Implant represents an important milestone in our commitment to innovation in the rapidly expanding dynamic stabilization market segment,” said Damien McDonald, President of Zimmer Spine. “With over 30,000 procedures worldwide, Zimmer Spine will further differentiate our Dynesys product line through continued expansion and enhancements.”
According to the Company, the Zimmer DTO implant provides surgeons with the flexibility to address varying patient requirements by matching the degree of stabilization needed for each of multiple levels of spine degeneration. Neurosurgical spine surgeon Reginald Davis, M.D. from Baltimore, Maryland, and Rick Delamarter, M.D., an orthopaedic spine surgeon from Santa Monica, California, performed the first Zimmer DTO patient implantations in the United States.
Zimmer Spine introduced the DTO Implant at the most recent North American Spine Society (NASS) meeting, held in Austin, Texas, and completed a full market release in December 2007. The Zimmer DTO implant and OPTIMA ZS transition screw are cleared to provide stabilization and immobilization to the lumbar and sacral spine as an adjunct to fusion. The Zimmer DTO implant was cleared for marketing by the FDA in the fourth quarter of 2007.
About the Company
Founded in 1927 and headquartered in Warsaw, Indiana, Zimmer is the worldwide #1 pure-play orthopaedic leader in designing, developing, manufacturing and marketing reconstructive and spinal implants, trauma and related orthopaedic surgical products. Zimmer has operations in more than 24 countries around the world and sells products in more than 100 countries. Zimmer’s 2006 sales were approximately $3.5 billion. The Company is supported by the efforts of more than 7,000 employees worldwide.
Visit Zimmer on the worldwide web at www.zimmer.com
Zimmer is the exclusive, worldwide distributor of OPTIMA(TM) ZS Spinal System (except in Belgium, Luxembourg, Turkey and South Korea). Zimmer has the exclusive, worldwide distribution rights for the OPTIMA(TM) ZS Transition Screw. OPTIMA(TM) is a trademark of the U&i Corporation, Korea. All other names, trademarks, service marks and logos referenced in this news release are the property of Zimmer GmbH and/or their respective subsidiaries. The OPTIMA(TM) ZS System and OPTIMA(TM) ZS Transition Screw are manufactured by U&i Corporation, Korea. The Dynesys Dynamic Stabilization System and Zimmer DTO implant are manufactured by Zimmer GmbH, Switzerland.
Zimmer Safe Harbor Statement
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 based on current expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections about the orthopaedics industry, management’s beliefs and assumptions made by management. Forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of forward-looking terms such as “may,” “will,” “expects,” “believes,” “anticipates,” “plans,” “estimates,” “projects,” “assumes,” “guides,” “targets,” “forecasts,” and “seeks” or the negative of such terms or other variations on such terms or comparable terminology. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, our ability to successfully integrate acquired businesses, the impact of our settlement of the federal investigation into financial relationships with consulting surgeons, including our compliance with the Deferred Prosecution Agreement through March 2009 and the Corporate Integrity Agreement through 2012, the outcome of the Department of Justice Antitrust Division investigation announced in June 2006, the outcome of the informal investigation by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission into Foreign Corrupt Practices Act matters announced in October 2007, price and product competition, rapid technological development, demographic changes, dependence on new product development, the mix of our products and services, supply and prices of raw materials and products, customer demand for our products and services, control of costs and expenses, our ability to form and implement alliances, international growth, governmental laws and regulations affecting our U.S. and international businesses, including tax obligations and risks, product liability and intellectual property litigation losses, reimbursement levels from third-party payors, general industry and market conditions and growth rates and general domestic and international economic conditions including interest rate and currency exchange rate fluctuations. For a further list and description of such risks and uncertainties, see our periodic reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. We disclaim any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be set forth in our periodic reports. Readers of this document are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, since, while we believe the assumptions on which the forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, there can be no assurance that these forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate. This cautionary statement is applicable to all forward-looking statements contained in this document.
CONTACT: Media, Brad Bishop, +1-574-372-4291, bradley.bishop@zimmer.com,
or Investors, Sean F. O’Hara, +1-574-371-8032, sean.f.ohara@zimmer.com, or
James T. Crines, +1-574-372-4264, james.crines@zimmer.com, all of Zimmer
Holdings, Inc.
Web site: http://www.zimmer.com/
