Spinal Kinetics completes financing and initiates FDA clinical trial of M6-C artificial cervical disc

Spinal Kinetics, the designer and manufacturer of the M6 artificial disc, has completed a $34mprivate financing.

Current investors Scale Venture Partners, Lumira Capital, De Novo Ventures, SV Life Sciences and HLM Ventures led the financing. The funds will be used primarily to initiate an FDA-approved clinical trial of the M6-C artificial cervical disc and expand international commercialization and clinical programs.

The clinical trial compares single-level cervical disc replacement to single-level cervical fusion. Enrollment has begun at leading spine centers across the country, with the first patient receiving an implant by Dr Carl Lauryssen, at the Olympia Medical Center in Los Angeles.

Other sites actively enrolling for the Study include: Texas Back Institute in Plano, TX; Rocky Mountain Spine Arthroplasty Associates in Johnstown; and Carolina Neurosurgery and Spine in Charlotte. Additional sites will be starting throughout the US in coming weeks.

The M6-C artificial cervical disc is designed to help patients suffering from degenerative disc disease of the spine; a common cause of chronic neck and arm pain. The M6 technology provides an alternative to spinal fusion and is designed to restore natural physiologic motion to the spine. The M6 is the only artificial disc that replicates the anatomic structure and biomechanics of a natural disc by incorporating both an artificial nucleus and annulus.

M6 technology was introduced internationally in 2006 and is available in over 27 countries worldwide. With approximately 30,000 implants to date, the M6 has become the disc of choice among leading spine surgeons around the world.

In the US, Spinal Kinetics has successfully completed an FDA approved pilot study of the M6-C and subsequently received approval from the FDA to initiate the current clinical trial.

Spinal Kinetics is also pleased to announce a global settlement of all patent litigation with Synthes and Depuy Synthes (now part of Johnson & Johnson) with respect the Spinal Kinetics M6 cervical and lumbar artificial disc implants.