Tarsa Therapeutics, Inc. and Unigene Laboratories, Inc. reported preclinical data showing that calcitonin may have synergistic effects in combination with other drugs in reducing the collagen degradation associated with osteoarthritis. The data are being presented at the 2010 Osteoarthritis Research Society International (OARSI) World Congress in Brussels, Belgium. Unigene produces Fortical® nasal calcitonin product for the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis and Tarsa’s oral calcitonin is in a Phase III trial for the treatment of osteoporosis.

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ArthroCare Corp. announced that it has received clearance from the FDA to market its Parallax® Contour® Vertebral Augmentation Device (Contour) specifically for void creation in a vertebral body followed by injection of bone cement. Vertebral body void creation followed by bone cement augmentation is commonly used to treat painful vertebral compression fractures. The newly cleared Indication Statement provides that the Contour device is indicated for use during kyphoplasty or vertebral augmentation procedures.

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HydroCision Inc has announced the purchase of the majority of the Company by new investors, led by venture capital firms Volcano Capital, Bioventures, and Omega Funds. HydroCision is the developer, manufacturer, and marketer of SpineJet®, whose innovative Fluidjet surgical technology allows discectomy and interbody fusion procedures to be performed faster, less invasively, and with a higher degree of precision than traditional surgical modalities.

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Enobia Pharma provided an update on key developments in its comprehensive effort to develop ENB-0040 (asfotase alfa), an experimental bone-targeted enzyme replacement therapy, for the treatment of hypophosphatasia (HPP). Hypophosphatasia is a rare, inherited, and sometimes fatal metabolic bone disease that affects individuals of all ages. Enobia announced today that it has been issued United States Patent No. 7,763,712 B2, providing robust intellectual property coverage for targeting alkaline phosphatase to bone.

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Amedica Corporation announced that it has been granted two United States patents for its total disc replacement (TDR) technology that features the use of silicon nitride in the construction of the complete implant. U.S. Patent No. 7,758,646 B2 and U.S. Patent No. 7,771,481 B2 cover the disc’s design and the use of the silicon nitride ceramic materials in its construction. This is yet another important addition to Amedica’s growing patent portfolio for spinal implant applications.

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Wintherix, LLC announced that WX04554, a potent small molecule activator of the Wnt pathway, has been designated as a lead drug for clinical development in bone healing and repair indications. Pre-clinical studies indicate that this class of small molecules potently activates the Wnt pathway and causes bones to heal and become stronger by forcing stem cells to become bone forming cells called osteoblasts.

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Afferent Pharmaceuticals has announced preclinical in vivo results demonstrating that an investigational P2X3 receptor antagonist significantly prevented and reversed bone cancer pain behavior in comparison to vehicle controls. These data expand on earlier findings and reveal that a marked reduction in apparent bone cancer pain occurs following oral administration of the proprietary P2X3 antagonist. Results from the study were presented in a poster session at the 13th World Congress on Pain in Montreal, Canada.

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A study appearing in the August 2010 issue of Anesthesiology found that patients receiving a total hip or knee replacement in Taiwan had a higher incidence of surgical site infections (SSIs) when general anesthesia was administered for the operation than when the same procedures were performed under epidural/spinal (regional) anesthesia. The study’s findings support the evolving concept of long-term consequences of anesthesia.

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Researchers at New York University have developed an innovative way to look at the development of osteoarthritis in the knee joint – one that relies on the examination of sodium ions in cartilage. Their work, which appears in the Journal of Magnetic Resonance, may provide a non-invasive method to diagnose osteoarthritis in its very early stages. The concentration of sodium ions, which are distributed in the body, is known to reveal the location of glycosaminogycans (GAGs) in cartilage tissues.

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CareFusion announced the national commercial launch of the AVAmax® Vertebral Balloon, a minimally invasive device for use during kyphoplasty, a procedure for treating spinal compression fractures. The AVAmax Vertebral Balloon represents a competitive breakthrough and is expected to enhance the affordability of spinal fracture procedures. CareFusion’s vertebral balloon product and related components cost up to 40 percent less than similar kyphoplasty products on the market today, making the procedure more cost effective.

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