Here are four key developments in spinal biologics in the last month:
Minimally invasive spine therapy company SpineOvations reported favorable results at the midpoint of its DiscSeal clinical trial. The viscous material, injected percutaneously into the intervertebral diseased disc, has demonstrated a reduction in lumbar pain, leg pain and disability.
The European Commission approved Zolgensma, Novartis' $2.1 million gene therapy drug for spinal muscular atrophy, for infants and children up to 46 pounds. Zolgensma also gained approval in Japan, with decisions expected to be made by Swiss, Canadian and Australian authorities in late 2020 or early 2021.
Orthobiologics company Cerapedics published data from a clinical trial examining the fusion rate of its i-Factor bone graft in noninstrumented lumbar fusion, Results indicated that older adult patients treated with i-Factor plus local bone achieved a higher fusion rate compared to allograft.
The FDA granted biotechnology company Alume Biosciences permission to investigate the use of a nerve-imaging drug during spine surgery. Alume's ALM-488 peptide-dye conjugate is designed for real-time fluorescent highlighting of nerves during head and neck procedures.