WishBone Announces New Area Vice President, Mark Nixon

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WishBone is pleased to announce our latest addition to the team, Mark Nixon, as Area Vice President of US Sales for the Southeast. In his region, Mark will focus on growing our distribution network, strengthening relationships within the orthopedic community, and expanding the company’s market share.
 
Mark began his medical device career with service to Smith & Nephew and Zimmer Biomet—bringing 15 years of diverse orthopedic experience in total joints, trauma, sports medicine, extremities, and spine. A multi-disciplinary perspective and tenure in each sub-specialty have facilitated professional ascent to roles of increasing responsibility in commercial leadership.   
 
In addition to valued seasoning with instrumented hardware and software systems (navigation, robotics, CAS) in the OR theater, Mark brings advanced biologics training with past service to AlloSource Tissue Bank, where he earned rigorous CTBS certification from the AATB. Most recently, he served as Vice President for Camber Spine, with the leadership of large sales teams and purview over IDN and GPO customers. 
 
Mark did his undergraduate work at Samford University and procured his MBA while working full-time. He has also completed post-graduate studies in finance at Emory’s Goizueta Business School. Additionally, Mark has been accepted to Harvard University’s executive education program with planned work in corporate strategy. 
 
A commitment to mission-led organizations prompted Mark to join Wishbone Medical, as well as his desire to help lead a team that’s committed to each other and the stakeholders they serve.

WishBone Medical Partners With Clubfoot Solutions to Distribute the Iowa Brace for Pediatric Patients in the U.S.

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WishBone Medical, Inc. has entered into a distribution agreement with Clubfoot Solutions, naming WishBone the exclusive pediatric medical device manufacturer to offer the Iowa Brace throughout the United States.

The Iowa Brace maintains the correction that has been achieved via the Ponseti Method and prevents relapse of clubfoot. The late University of Iowa pediatric orthopedic surgeon Dr. Ignacio Ponseti, the creator of the gold standard of clubfoot care, dedicated his life to ensuring all children across the world would have access to the best clubfoot treatment and a quality clubfoot brace, regardless of their economic or social circumstances. In partnership with the Ponseti International Association (PIA), Clubfoot Solutions has developed and distributed 90,000+ Iowa Braces in over 90 countries since 2015.

“It was important for our nonprofit organization to partner with a company that understands our commitment to treating clubfoot worldwide with the Iowa Brace,” says Todd J. Becker, Managing Director, Clubfoot Solutions. “WishBone’s focus on pediatric orthopedic solutions to bone deformities will help expand the Iowa Brace in the US market so we can continue to help affected children in low resource countries. The need for a quality, comfortable and clinically proven clubfoot brace is great around the globe. Our mission at Clubfoot Solutions is to ensure every child in need born with clubfoot deformity has an Iowa Brace during treatment.”

“Coupling the Iowa Brace with our Clubfoot Achilles Tenotomy (CAT) Kit, WishBone now offers a comprehensive solution to address clubfoot deformity,” says Scott Williams, EVP of Marketing, WishBone Medical. “Surgeons efficiently complete a tenotomy in a hospital or ASC setting with our CAT Kit, then equip their small patients with a reliable, comfortable bracing solution as they start their four-year bracing treatment program at home.”

With insights from decades of clinical experience treating children born with clubfoot, the brace was designed by a team of renowned specialists at the University of Iowa, including Dr. Jose Morcuende, pediatric orthopedic surgeon and President of PIA. For them, it was important to set a new wearability standard, as discomfort and skin irritations are two of the most common reasons for discontinued use of bracing among patients. The resulting Iowa brace has a breathable mesh that maximizes ventilation and provides lightweight durability. Its cushioned tongue helps prevent skin irritation on the top of the patient’s feet and eliminates the need for third-party add-ons. The one-of-a-kind contoured AFO insert features a cupped heel counter that stabilizes the foot to both reduce friction and promote proper usage. The Iowa Flexbar and platforms are injection molded from fiber-reinforced nylon and allows the child some degree of freedom to move each foot, enabling them to stretch the muscles and tendons.

About Clubfoot Solutions, Inc.
Clubfoot Solutions, Inc., is a 501(c)(3) non-profit Iowa-based organization. The Iowa Brace was developed at the University of Iowa as an extension of Dr. Ponseti’s egalitarian efforts to ensure that children across the world would have access to a quality clubfoot brace, regardless of their economic or social circumstances. The combination of innovation and humanitarian considerations allow the Iowa Brace to be affordable for all families, everywhere. Dr. Ponseti’s legacy lives on through Ponseti International Association and Clubfoot Solutions.

About WishBone Medical
WishBone Medical is a global pediatric orthopedic company, committed to providing highly differentiated pediatric implants, instruments and solutions in single-use, sterile packed procedure kits designed to prevent infection, reduce overall costs for customers and achieve the best outcomes for children around the world who are still growing. Surgeon-led Innovation | Designed for Kids | Engineered for efficiency.
We WORK so They can PLAY.TM

For more information, visit www.WishBoneMedical.com or contact Kaitlyn Hughes, Director of Marketing & Communications, at +1-574-306-4006.

Contact:
Kaitlyn Hughes
+1-574-306-4006
KHughes@WishBoneMedical.com
www.WishBoneMedical.com

WISHBONE MEDICAL RECEIVES FUNDING FROM INSTITUTIONAL INVESTOR, APPOINTS DR. MARK FIGGIE AS CEO

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Strengthened relationship with LKCM Headwater prompts a shift in leadership and refocused business strategy

WARSAW, Ind., DECEMBER 1, 2022 — WishBone Medical, Inc., a leader in pediatric orthopedic medical devices, announced the procurement of additional growth capital as well as changes to executive leadership, including the appointment of Dr. Mark Figgie as Interim Chief Executive Officer. The latest funding comes from LKCM Headwater Investments (“LKCM Headwater”), the private equity arm of Luther King Capital Management which is an SEC-registered investment adviser with approximately $22.1 billion in assets under management. These strategic changes will fuel the commercialization of WishBone’s existing portfolio while supporting new product development and sustaining its mission to raise surgical standards for children.

“At a time of uncertainty in our capital markets, our team at LKCM Headwater and WishBone’s Board of Directors have worked diligently to secure the means necessary to support the company’s objectives and continue this rewarding mission,” says Michael D. Bornitz of LKCM Headwater and WishBone board member.

“I am honored to take the helm of WishBone Medical and help make a meaningful impact through leadership and innovation—building upon my extensive network within the orthopedic community to produce novel solutions that promote OR efficiency and improve outcomes for our young patients,” adds Dr. Figgie.

With Dr. Figgie serving as interim CEO, WishBone cofounders Nick Deeter and Mary Wetzel are stepping away from their positions as CEO and President and moving into consulting roles to assist in business development, healthcare partnerships, and identification of new technology ventures.

“WishBone constituents may know Dr. Figgie for his advocacy as a foundational board member, investor, and his 40 years of exemplary experience in orthopedics,” says WishBone board member, Manny Losada, CEO & President of Optimal / MedPro Healthcare Solutions. “However, he also has an incredible business acumen grounded in an MBA at NYU and managed a boutique manufacturing firm in Cleveland, OH, while attending medical school. Dr. Figgie will work alongside the seasoned executive management team and surgeons to create leading-edge solutions that kids deserve.”

About LKCM Headwater Investments

LKCM Headwater Investments is a Texas-based private investment firm affiliated with Luther King Capital Management, an SEC-registered investment firm established in 1979 with over $22 billion USD of AUM.  LKCM Headwater’s proven investment discipline is centered around a long-term focus of investing in strategically well-positioned companies with opportunities to re-invest cash flows into multiple high return investment opportunities.  Further, LKCM and its affiliates have a long history of successfully investing in and growing medical device companies. For more information, visit www.lkcmheadwater.com

About Mark Figgie, MD

Dr. Mark P. Figgie is Chief Emeritus of the Surgical Arthritis Service at the Hospital for Special Surgery. He is one of the leading experts in joint replacement for inflammatory arthritis and was the inaugural Chair of the Allan Inglis Chair for research for surgery in inflammatory arthritis.  His training in engineering and biomechanics has helped him become instrumental in the design of implants for elbows, knees, and hips, including the design of custom implants.

About WishBone Medical

WishBone Medical is a global pediatric orthopedic company, committed to providing highly differentiated pediatric implants, instruments and solutions in single-use, sterile packed procedure kits designed to prevent infection, reduce overall costs for customers and achieve the best outcomes for children around the world who are still growing. Surgeon-led Innovation | Designed for Kids | Engineered for efficiency.
We WORK so They can PLAY.TM

For more information, visit www.WishBoneMedical.com or contact Kaitlyn Hughes, Director of Marketing & Communications, at +1-574-306-4006. For investment related inquiries, please email Mike Milligan, Chief Accounting Officer, at MikeMilligan@WishBoneMedical.com.

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WISHBONE MEDICAL ANNOUNCES NEW EVP OF SPINE, JIM ENRIGHT

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WISHBONE MEDICAL APPOINTS DR. JOHN E. HERZENBERG TO BOARD OF DIRECTORS

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WARSAW, Ind., OCTOBER 5, 2022 — WishBone Medical, Inc., a leader in pediatric orthopedic medical devices, is pleased to announce the appointment of John Herzenberg, MD, FRCSC, FAAOS, to its board of directors. Dr. Herzenberg is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon specializing in pediatric orthopedics whose expertise will support the company and its mission to provide highly differentiated pediatric orthopedic solutions in single-use, sterile packed procedure kits.

Listed in U.S. News & World Report’s Top Doctors as being in the top 1% of his field, Dr. Herzenberg currently serves as the Director of Pediatric Orthopedics at Sinai Hospital as well as Director of the International Center for Limb Lengthening at the Rubin Institute for Advanced Orthopedics.

“Dr. Herzenberg’s clinical expertise coupled with his commitment to product innovation makes him a strong asset to our board,” says Nick Deeter, Founder, Chairman, and CEO of WishBone Medical. “As we continue to develop products to raise surgical standards for pediatric patients, Dr. Herzenberg’s insights will help to ensure that we are also exploring new solutions to streamline efficiencies for surgeons and their teams.”

“It is a great honor for me to be affiliated with an innovative company that is developing unique and practical solutions to pediatric orthopedic problems, especially within the modern shift to more efficient ambulatory surgery centers,” adds Dr. Herzenberg.

Herzenberg is one of the world’s foremost practitioners of the Ponseti Method* and served as a surgeon advisor for the development of WishBone’s Clubfoot Achilles Tenotomy (CAT) Convenience Kit.

After medical school at Boston University, Herzenberg completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at Duke University and subspecialty training in pediatric orthopedics at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto. He then trained in limb lengthening directly with Professor Ilizarov in the USSR in 1989 and subsequently in Lecco, Italy, with Professor Maurizio Catagni. After five years on the faculty of the University of Michigan, he moved to Maryland and was Professor of Orthopedic Surgery at the University of Maryland, where he now serves as Clinical Professor. Dr. Herzenberg co-founded the Maryland Center for Limb Lengthening & Reconstruction at Kernan Hospital. He later co-founded the International Center for Limb Lengthening at Sinai Hospital of Baltimore in 2001.

*The Ponseti Method is a technique that corrects congenital clubfoot deformities without invasive surgery.

About WishBone Medical

WishBone Medical is a global pediatric orthopedic company committed to providing highly differentiated pediatric implants, instruments and solutions in single-use, sterile packed procedure kits designed to prevent infection, reduce overall costs for customers and achieve the best outcomes for children around the world who are still growing.

Surgeon-led Innovation | Designed for Kids | Engineered for Efficiency.

For further information, visit www.WishBoneMedical.com or contact Kaitlyn Hughes, Director of Marketing & Communications,
at +1-574-306-4006.

A STREAMLINED APPROACH TO GUIDED GROWTH | Presented by Dr. Christopher Iobst

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This is free, educational event presented by Dr. Christopher Iobst of Nationwide Children’s Hospital. You may register for two different days, August 16th or August 30th.

Topics will include

  • Guided Growth Basics
  • Traditional vs. Streamlined Technique
  • Post Op Management
  • Mitigating Potential Risks
  • Plate Removal
  • Case Examples

Register today using either of the buttons below.

August 16, 5-6pm
August 30, 7-8pm

Grace Student Secures Job With WishBone Medical

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Click here to read the original article, published by InkFreeNews

WINONA LAKE — Grace College senior engineering student Natalie Gerber has a job lined up at WishBone Medical Inc., a leader in pediatric orthopedic medical devices.

Gerber is one of several engineering graduates at Grace with a job lined up for May. The program’s hands-on model connects students with local experts in the orthopedic industry as early as their freshman year.

“Located in the ‘Orthopedic Capital of the World,’ our students are weekly rubbing shoulders with individuals who just might be their future employers,” said Dr. Fred Wentorf, chair of the Department of Engineering. “We saw those connections pay off for last year’s graduates and the same is true for the 2022 graduates like Natalie. That is not something you get at all of the other engineering colleges in Indiana.”

Gerber knew she wanted to go into mechanical engineering from a young age.

“Growing up, I remember looking around our house and trying to find things with screws in them so that I could take them apart,” Gerber said.

It was at a Women in STEM career day at her school in sixth grade that she realized engineering merged all of her interests.

With dreams of one day becoming an engineer, Gerber began going on college visits.

“When I visited Grace, I fell in love with the campus right away,” said Gerber. “I knew I could see myself here, but at the time, they didn’t have an engineering degree.”

On Gerber’s second visit, she was thrilled to find out that the school was launching a mechanical engineering degree the following fall. At that very moment, she knew that she was headed to Grace.

“With the program being smaller, every student can have personal attention from the professors,” she said. “Our professors all have a lot of experience. They know what’s required in the industry, and they have a lot of connections. There’s no question this is a good education.”

Gerber was first introduced to WishBone Medical when she worked with the company on a project in one of her classes. She had met Mary Wentorf, a mechanical engineer at WishBone and wife of Fred Wentorf, at a “Day in the Life of an Engineer” event put on by the Engineering Department. Through that connection, Gerber worked as a co-op at WishBone over the summer of 2020 and enjoyed making an impact on children’s lives.

After an internship at the Medicines Innovation Hub with Eli Lilly the following summer, Gerber knew that orthopedics, and specifically WishBone, had a special place in her heart.

That September, she talked to Mary Wentorf and secured a job at WishBone for after graduation.

Gerber is most excited about the chance to help pediatric orthopedic patients. “I’ve always had an open and willing heart for God to show me what He wants me to do,” Gerber said. “Knowing that there is a real impact and that I can help kids with physical differences have normal lives is really rewarding.”

To learn more about the mechanical engineering degree at Grace, visit https://www.grace.edu/programs/mechanical-engineering/.

WishBone and SpineGuard Sign National Distribution Agreement for US Pediatric Orthopedic Centers

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New partnership to broaden access for pediatric orthopedic surgeons performing spine surgery

WARSAW, Ind., Boulder, Co. and Paris, France – January 6, 2022 – 6:00 pm CET / 12:00 noon EST— WishBone Medical, Inc., a leader in pediatric orthopedic medical devices, and SpineGuard (FR0011464452 – ALSGD), an innovative company that deploys its Dynamic Surgical Guidance (DSG) sensing technology to secure and streamline the placement of bone implants today announced a long-term collaborative partnership with, for exclusive distribution rights of PediGuard® smart spinal drilling devices to children’s hospitals across the United States.
“This strategic alignment with SpineGuard enables WishBone’s spine division to support and focus 100% on the pediatric spine community. Our goal is to provide clinical solutions to surgeons’ unmet needs related to improving patient safety and enhancing practice outcomes,” says Jeff Wertz, Executive Vice President of Spine, WishBone Medical. “Increasing accuracy rates when making a pilot hole in axially rotated spines in scoliosis surgery is critical to a successful outcome. In addition, Surgical teams can significantly reduce the amount of radiation exposure to children associated with pre-op CT scans and intra-op X-rays taken during surgery—an important risk factor that can be greatly reduced and minimized in AIS procedures.”
“We will implement this very promising collaboration in close cooperation to integrate with our existing network of US agents, leveraging the new DSG Connect platform that adds visual display and data recording capabilities. Despite today’s evolving spine surgery solutions, the inherent design rationale behind DSG continues to elevate the key elements which have kept DSG technology extremely relevant in that risk mitigation, low radiation exposure, minimal set-up, and a 12-year clinical history of providing real-time accuracy that rivals all other far more expensive modalities,” says Patrick Pilcher Vice President, Sales and Marketing, North America SpineGuard.
Pierre Jérôme, Chairman, CEO and Co-Founder of SpineGuard, adds: “We are delighted to join forces with WishBone to offer our X-ray-free real time guidance technology to a much larger number of US surgeons and hospitals providing pediatric orthopedic care and to help them make spine surgery safer. This congruent alliance will significantly broaden our sales footprint in the United States. WishBone has the passion, leadership and access necessary to drive faster and wider adoption for our DSG technology in spinal deformity correction, a historical foundation integral to SpineGuard.”
“Through the contracts that WishBone holds with multiple group purchasing organizations, we now are in network with 242 of the 268 standalone children’s hospitals doing orthopedic surgery,” says Nick Deeter, Founder, Chairman and CEO, WishBone Medical. “This level of access will provide surgeons the opportunity to immediately use DSG and minimize radiation exposure to their patients. This technology is a perfect addition to WishBone’s sterile spine solutions as we push to raise surgical standards for children.”
The safety and efficacy of utilizing DSG for spine surgery has been proven by more than 85,000 surgeries across the globe and supported by 17 scientific, peer reviewed publications.* DSG probes allow for haptic, tactile feel, act as an internal GPS system inside the pedicle, and enhance residents’ and fellows’ ability to place spinal implants more accurately for increased patient safety.1 The literature supports DSG accuracy rates as equal to or superior to navigation/robotic alternatives, without the disadvantage of disrupting surgical workflow and avoiding intra-operative CT scans. Combining DSG technology with the ASTRA Spine Deformity System will provide a clinical solution to help support the growing needs of the pediatric spine surgeon community.
*A full list of supporting publications can be found on manufacturer’s website: https://www.spineguard.com/dynamic-surgical-guidance-technology

  1. Williams, John & Samdani, Amer & Defino, Helton & George, Keri & Gaughan, John & Betz, Randal. (2014). Anticipation of vertebral pedicle breach through dynamic surgical guidance. Coluna/ Columna. 13. 210-213. 10.1590/S1808-18512014130300R85.

About SpineGuard®
Founded in 2009 in France and the USA by Pierre Jérôme and Stéphane Bette, SpineGuard is an innovative company deploying its proprietary radiation-free real time sensing technology DSG® (Dynamic Surgical Guidance) to secure and streamline the placement of implants in the skeleton. SpineGuard designs, develops and markets medical devices that have been used in over 85,000 surgical procedures worldwide. Seventeen studies published in peer-reviewed scientific journals have demonstrated the multiple benefits DSG® offers to patients, surgeons, surgical staff and hospitals. Building on these solid fundamentals and several strategic partnerships, SpineGuard has expanded its technology platform in a disruptive innovation: the « smart » pedicle screw launched late 2017 and is broadening the scope of applications in dental implantology and surgical robotics. DSG® was co-invented by Maurice Bourlion, Ph.D., Ciaran Bolger, M.D., Ph.D., and Alain Vanquaethem, Biomedical Engineer. SpineGuard has engaged in multiple ESG initiatives. For further information, visit www.spineguard.com
Disclaimer
The SpineGuard securities may not be offered or sold in the United States as they have not been and will not be registered under the Securities Act or any United States state securities laws, and SpineGuard does not intend to make a public offer of its securities in the United States. This is an announcement and not a prospectus, and the information contained herein does and shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of the securities referred to herein in the United States in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or exemption from registration.
Contacts
SpineGuard
Pierre Jérôme
CEO & Chairman
Tel: +33 1 45 18 45 19
p.jerome@spineguard.com
NewCap
Investor Relations & Financial Communication
Mathilde Bohin / Pierre Laurent
Tel: +33 1 44 71 94 94 spineguard@newcap.eu
About WishBone Medical
WishBone Medical is a global pediatric orthopedic company committed to providing anatomically appropriate implants and instruments in single-use, sterile packed procedure kits that are designed to prevent infection, reduce overall costs for customers and achieve the best outcomes for children everywhere. The WishBone Medical Family of Companies offers a comprehensive “head-to-toe” product portfolio of innovative systems with operations in Warsaw, IN; Istanbul, and Singapore. For further information, visit www.wishbone-medical-migration.mysites.io or contact Kaitlyn Hughes, Director of Marketing & Communications, at +1-574-306-4006.
Contact:
Kaitlyn Hughes
Tel: +1-574-306-4006
KHughes@wishbonemedical.com
www.wishbone-medical-migration.mysites.io