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[October 2004]
Zimmer Plans to Enter US Ceramic Hip Market
Zimmer Holdings Inc (Warsaw, IN, USA) has entered into a financial agreement with CeramTec AG of Germany that, pending regulatory approvals, will allow Zimmer to enter the US ceramic-on-ceramic hip replacement market. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
The agreement will enable Zimmer to submit a request to US and Canadian health officials for authorisation to sell a ceramic-on-ceramic system, using CeramTec manufactured components, based on clinical reference data owned by CeramTec.
Zimmer has for several years marketed outside of the USA a ceramic-on-ceramic system - the Trilogy AB(R) Acetabular System - with ceramic components manufactured by CeramTec, and the Cerasul(R) Ceramic-on-Ceramic Tribological Solution from the legacy Centerpulse business.
"With the addition of a proven ceramic-on-ceramic option in the US, Zimmer will be able to offer surgeons a complete offering of alternate bearing surface options, including our successful Longevity(R) Highly Crosslinked Polyethylene, the Trilogy AB ceramic-on-ceramic system and Metasul(R) Metal-on-Metal Tribological Solution," said Ray Elliott, Zimmer's Chairman, President and CEO. "Our view is that ceramic-on-ceramic will remain a niche option, primarily for younger patients, but we are pleased that surgeons will soon be able to turn to Zimmer, not a competitor, to meet all of their preferences."
www.zimmer.com
ENDS