Hey little sister who's the only one
Hey little sister who's your superman
Hey little sister who's the one you want
Hey little sister shot gun
It's a nice day to start again, It's a nice day for a white wedding, It's a nice day to start againnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn.
Yes fellow readers by the looks of things it may finally be true, U.S. Spine and Amedica are on the verge of merging, or will this be an acquisition. Why? I guess that $30 million that Amedica raised must be burning a whole in its pocket. But at a bargain basement price, how can one pass on this opportunity. TSB wants to know what our readers think?
Two words - brutal move
ReplyDeleteRegardless of opinions, the science behind Amedica's interbody devices is solid with some attractive benefits. Not sure that they are buying anything that is unique from U.S. but they may have the momentum to move up the ladder. The ceramic will get them in the door, I haven't heard anything positive or negative about U.S. Spine's screws. A few more product developments to address a full offering in hardware and a solid biologic offering could put this company in with the better mid-sized class.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with Dorris crazy ass Blake- give her a donkey punch for me!!!!
ReplyDeleteWho Cares!!!
ReplyDeletewho cares? the bank and capital interest who financed amedicas 30 million
ReplyDeleteSo now Amedica is going to start buying doctors- assuming they bought Paul Sendro in the deal.
ReplyDeleteThat gun is crap. One of my docs had a case and it basically blew apart and wouldn't work. lets just say that was the first and last time it was in the hospital
ReplyDeleteDisaster! They are also going to try and go the direct sales model! Good luck with that mess!
ReplyDeleteI have never commented here before, but since Ben Shappley is involved, I can't hold back. I worked with Ben several years ago and can't think of a decent thing to say about him. A complete B.S. artist, lazy, dim witted... I won't go on. How does a guy like this continue to be placed in positions of responsibility? If Ben is involved, RUN!
ReplyDeleteUS Spine is the leading participant in the expanding facet fixation device market, so there is some growth there. However, US Spine's portfolio definitely needs expanding. If Amedica's Silicone Nitrate technology is as good as it seems on the surface and turns out to be a viable alternative to PEEK, it will only be a successful marriage if the organization can produce IB devices using this technology quickly.
ReplyDeleteWho will Amedica buy next?
ReplyDelete"US Spine is the leading participant in the expanding facet fixation device market". Wow, I have some land in SW Florida to sell you. From what I've hear they have maybe 10 surgeons using their products
ReplyDeleteNo clue on who they will buy next but talk of Synthes taking a good look at their technology and their organization. Let's follow the popcorn trail and find out! That may be a difficult product for Globus to copy. They might have gotten away with it too, if not for that dog and those medling kids!
ReplyDeleteI heard Amedica had been looking up another spine company's skirt - a more well-heeled company - what gives?
ReplyDeleteAnyone else find it weird that on the Amedica management bios, Shappley is the only one not showing where he went to college. Diploma mill?
ReplyDeletethe problem with us-spine has always been the agents that sell them. they all had other bigger spine lines too. the good agents only had us-spine. the gun is great, but the rep/dr must understand how it to be used and when used right, It is sweet. less or times, less blood loss etc.... its only as good as the rep and the surgeon, and we all know a large % of reps in the spine market, SUCK! i think it'll be good for both companies. amedica has the $ to grow us-spine and its facet products...
ReplyDeleteI don't know the rep or who the Distributor is who represents these two Co.'s and I'm sure the same goes for most of you out there. Are these two companies even relevent? I submit to you, NO.
ReplyDeleteLike my B school M & A prof said, "I'm a loser, you're a loser, let's get together"
ReplyDeleteAs Gordon Gekko said in Wall Street " A Fool and his money are lucky to get together in the first place."
ReplyDeleteApparently they are closing the Boca facility and shipping everything to Salt Lake. Deals like this are likely to fail as all the product information and surgeon relationships are lost in the process.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure some surgeons invested that are using that gun as well. If you lose money on your investment do you keep using?
ReplyDeleteif the surgeon's patients are doing better than the traditonal pedicle screw patients, yes they continue using gun. they have some cool products for the facets and some great ideas, just didnt have the funding to bring them to fruition.. To each their own... we will see.....
ReplyDeleteour group thinks US Spines products are as good or better than the big boyz...solid complex system----good pref screws..they never had good reps or agents..weak point..if they can hire the right guys and with Amedicas money....WATCH OUT!!!!
ReplyDeleteDon't give it too much thought. Yes surgeon owners will use their devices regardless to keep revenue moving forward hoping for a payout. Bias is strong in the world when you stand to gain financially.
ReplyDeleteUS Spines biggest problem is the D-Bag posing on their home page.
ReplyDeleteagree---D Blake is no longer with company and is pursuing other interests....maybe this thing will be the top notch company it should have been..............
ReplyDeleteI have absolutely Not A- Clue who Ben Shapley is, however, this blog continues to be a venue for disgruntled anonymous voices who write nasty slander about others. They obviously do not have the 'gonads' to express their opinion of others publicly; and if they really had any guts, they would post their name. Anonymous posting is fine for general "chat" But lets agree that anyone making attacks anonymously shall be tagged "Coward"
ReplyDelete6:27pm --- if you are so high and mighty why are you anonymous as well in laying things out? F-ing hypocrite
ReplyDeleteThe Gun is a joke. I have had many docs say if I am gonna put facet screws in open, why not just put pedicle screws in. It has gone through many failed generations and now it is too late, and they have missed the boat. Interventional Spine capitalized on compression facet screw technology in a simpler form that works!
ReplyDelete6:27 p.m. AHEM, Ditto that 7:09
ReplyDeleteI can guarantee that if you have or if you ever worked within this industry you would know how vindictive, petty and unprofessional many of these so called Usual Suspect are. They are like Humpty Dumpty surrounding themselves with all the Kings Men, so why would anyone post using their real name. If you ever were a student of physics you would understand Newton's laws of motion. Simply stated for every action, there is an equal or opposite reaction. If you were ever a student of psychology you would understand that for every stimulus there is a response. Do you actual believe some of people commenting are having a Quixotic moment having purportedly lost their minds, making things up? Snap out of it, it's the real world where people do not so nice things to other people. If you were ever a student of Karma, you would know the expression, what goes around, comes around.
brilliant MM 7:30
ReplyDeletei love this blog, it gives us a forum to express the truth, not some Robinesque make believe world where everything is portrayed as wonderful in our industry. Remember, there is sonethimg to be said about a FREE public forum where people can really express their opinions or experiences with some of the clowns that run this industry. You know the market makers.
ReplyDeletesounds like amedica might be going public sooner than expected?
ReplyDeleteAgain, Who cares? What company doesn"t have facet screws? There is nothing about these two getting together that makes any sense. They did it for survival. If you think either one of these companies have anything that will help them survive long-term besidese surgeon investors you are an Idiot.
ReplyDeletethere are soooo many angry reps on all these different posts, who where either fired, due to lack of performance, or just left because they saw the writing on the wall, who come on here and try and vent so others have a shitty attitude for their ex-company. in reality, companies merge for a few different reasons. either they are looking to get into a different market, the other company has something they dont, or they just feel it was a good buy. this merger will help both companies.
ReplyDeleteus-spine has some good products (Facet gun, Javelin and the only triple lead screw) but doesnt have the necessary $ to get the inventory #'s where they need to be so the agents can actively go out and sell them. so all the donkey punch comments to doris, and crap like that, obviously come from an underperformer, who doesnt fit in with any company and is bitter because he is now with aother no-name start up company........
MM, what is the spine markets dollar value for facet screws?? Are there any valid studies stating a facet screw can withstand the physiologic loads about the facet joint?? The response to these two question will give us the answer “good deal or bad deal”.
ReplyDeletewhen the facet screws get "approved" they must show they are as good as somehting, and they usually compare it to pedicle screws. facet technology has been around for a while but now companies are doing locking mechanisms, etc. the reason for them is dont have to do a far lateral exposure, not alot of bone resection and less tissue disruption. it makes sense just has to be placed in the middle of joint cant stray off to one side or another or they run the risk of the Facet joint fracturing, nice thing is back up plan is pedicle screws.
ReplyDeleteTO: MM and 7:09, I post anonymously in the same manner as TSB,(who remains anonymous)) To blog an opinion, Do not tell me you cannot differentiate that from an internet attack by a disgruntled ex employee or else TSB has just become a posting board for ex employees. May as well join up with ex-girlfriend revenge videos online
ReplyDeleteThanks again for providing this excellent venue TSB!
ReplyDeleteThis thread has solved a longstanding puzzle for me: how is it that Amedica convinced surgeons and investors that Silicon Nitride (a stiff and hard industrial ceramic) is "soft" like PEEK rather than stiffer than Titanium as it is?
Apparently it's because these same people think it's Silicone nitrate - ie rubber.
Good stuff...
silicon nitride will replace peek entirely. this company is on the radar of some major companies. great technology.
ReplyDeleteAt a cheaper price, maybe, At a greater price that want is the current standard, you're smoking something that non of us ever smoked. Good Luck
ReplyDelete@5:53
ReplyDeletePEEK is stiffer than femoral corical bone; the hardest bone in the body. The corpus/endplate bone of the IB space is the softest in the body.
Modulus of Elasticity is not at work here. Certainly not Wolf's Law. (long bone, periosteum).
Moreover, PEEK/Polymer's repel cells. SiN attract them and allow a scaffolding, etc.
SiN doesn't rely on some hocus-pocus about MOE. It has real virtues of bony healing.
Let me know what you're fixing for lunch as I will soon be eating it!
PS- SiN is offered at equal pricing to PEEK
So here is the $30 million dollar question. Will we be improving the clinical outcomes? Until you can substantiate that with a side by side study, all you are doing is scientifically speculating. It still comes down to carpentry, everything else is just the materials that go with it.
ReplyDelete@9:34 that's a great question... however, keep in mind PEEK was widely used with no evidence for several years and was cleared only as a cement restrictor. What science was being utilized there? Medtronic Marketing et. al. run a muck.
ReplyDeleteAgreed, carpentry the biggest factor. Assessing placement intraoperative with a implant that shows a 'real time' image and endplate engagement (validation of your carpentry) is important.
SiN is semi-radioulucent on fluro/xray. It doesn't have any scatter/halo on CT/MRI.
Interesting and intriguing material.
No shit guys! At least a few of you are keeping your eyes and minds open while a few negative Nelly's are sitting in the staff lounge feasting on retard sandwiches. Is it so far fetched to think that this industry may have something easier, more effective and even available at the same price points. Remember when St. Jude came out with the X-Stop? Medtronics response.... "That device is crap!" Then Kyphon bought it "The X-Stop is STILL crap!!" Medtronic buys kyphon......the clouds part, the angels sing, Jesus, Buddha and the Easter Bunny are all dancing for joy and all is right with the world
ReplyDelete"WE (MSD) have found the most perfect device that will alleviate pain with less surgery!"
It's not great unless the big guys own it and have control. Nice to see something new, maybe not too flashy but nice is good for a change instead of me-too offerings.
It appears that SiN is radiolucent up to 6mm thickness only, as the material thickness increases imaging properties are fading out. I am curious to see the clinical data for their products including ALIF, which has a very small lateral wall thickness that could lead to asymmetric subsidence. Do they offer stand-alone SiN ALIF? Probably not, since the brittle nature of ceramic may not allow the integration of Ti screws into a practical design concept. One case of clinical failure may cause a “rethinking” of the technology. Ceramic femoral heads from CeramTec continue to brake (including Biolox Delta).
ReplyDeleteHave they started IDE for the cervical total disk? It may cost them.
Has anyone noticed they don’t have a management position for product development (only marketing, sales, operations, and manufacturing are listed under management team)? It could mean a lot.
@6:32
ReplyDeleteDr. Youseff just released a white paper which follows his patients for a year. The results are good: he states seeing massive fusion, no subsidence and bony on-growth to the material/implant. It also show pictures of CT allowing accessment of fusion with no artifact/scatter.
Regarding their ALIF design: it has multiple footprints and is designed to sit on the apophyseal ring(s).
I am particular annoyed at the comments made about the Amedica CEO, Ben Shappley. I have worked for him for many years and he is a man of integrity. You obviously have some serious character issues - was that the reason you couldn't get along? You hide behind a blog to take your petty shots. Get some help!
ReplyDeleteIs this Stacey?
DeleteQuestion for 5:52 why is it that some people get along, and others don't? I don't know Ben personally, but if he was such a wonderful businessman, and I am not talking human being here, why has he bounced around from Medtronic, Therics, Theken and now Amedica? Heaven knows that there are people that don't like TSB. Yet, I don't whine like a little girl. Don't be so thin skinned, this is a ruthless business, that has a lot of testosterone running around. Be honest with yourself, you don't get to the top of the ladder unless you are willing to kick some people off. Machiavelli himself would revel in this industry, one renown for its duplicitous and cunning conduct.
ReplyDeleteI love how a few angry Reps (who probably got fired for doing a shitty job) get on here and disparage a man like Ben Shappley. The truth is, in less than a year, he has guided Amedica into some very smart directions. I don't know anything about a USS/Amedica deal, but if there is one, the company will have a complete spine solution with next-generation technology. Look at the deal Ben Shappley did with Nik Nikolaev and OMNI. That deal gets Amedica into the reconstructive space with a pioneer in orthopedics. I understand Amedica/OMNI will have a SiN hip system in the body by the end of the year. So, you losers can try to pick Shappley apart on here... but I would bet any of you that within two years, Amedica gets acquired for BIG MONEY by one of the majors and he and everyone else involved will be laughing all the way to the bank.
ReplyDeleteHope you didn't have any money on that bet.....
DeleteTime will tell. I guess your crystal ball can see into the future. I haven't bought that model, yet. If anything you are correct about the recon aspect of their business, as for spine, you're smoking opium. If it doesn't improve the outcomes, its just another material with smoke and mirrors. Just look at biologics.
ReplyDelete