Thursday, February 19, 2009

Strike 2 for Stryker

It was reported today (2/19/09) in the NY Times that the DOJ's investigation into the marketing practices of OP-1 by Stryker (aka as Mr. 20% Growth) has resulted in two guilty pleas by a former Stryker Rep and Manager. (I'll spare them the embarrassment).  This comes on the heals of the DOJ's investigation and subsequent Federal Oversight of Stryker for inducing surgeons to use its product with cash payment.  I would like to know how they pulled that off without a monetary fine?  Something smells at the DOJ!

Stryker declined comment on the current matter.  This was an obvious response mandated by the Kalamazoo Mothership.  In 2001 the FDA approved use of BMP-7 better known as OP-1 (Osteogenic Protein -1) for Non-Unions of the Tibia and in 2004 it was approved for Non-Unions of Spinal Fusions.

Spineblogger wants your voices to be heard!  Did Stryker encourage off-label use? And, Did Stryker motivate its sales force with bonuses (anyone need a Z-3 and Rolex) for obtaining a certain number of approvals from facilities to run clinical trials.  I know what I know! Spineblogger needs to know what you know.  Why are Sales Reps going to jail, when some other folks in upper management need to be held accountable.

For a company that once practice revenue recognition anything is possible.

2 comments:

  1. Something stinks to high heaven over *everything* involving OP-1. Google OP-1 or BMP7 and kidney disease at some point. BMP7 *reverses* kidney disease in animal models and for the past decade in major academic periodicals researchers say they're waiting for human trials with BMP7 as it's one of the few signs of hope out there.

    Johnson and Johnson sat on the licence to BMP7 for about 5 years and did nothing with it aside from a study in israel confirming its promise. In the meantime J&J reaps hundreds of millions a year selling it's drugs to treat the side-effects of dialysis.

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  2. Scott:

    If you get on www.curis.com and click on the investors link, you can read their press releases from 2002 thru 2009. I am sure that you are aware that Stryker originally cut a deal for BMP-7 with Creative Biomolecules that evolved into Curis. During the period from 2002 thru 2005 Curis was involved in research with academicians regarding BMP-7 and Chronic Kidney Disease. It seems once they sold the rights of BMP-7 to Stryker in 2007 all Press Releases regarding this research stopped. I have never heard of J&J sitting on a license for BMP-7. Where do I find this information?

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