MIAMI and BASEL, Switzerland, Nov. 11, 2005 (PRIMEZONE) -- At an official ceremony in Miami, the Straumann Group was presented with the 2005 Medical Device Technology of the Year Award for its next-generation dental implant surface technology, SLActive. The Award, which recognizes excellence in technological innovation, is one of the Best Practices Awards bestowed by Frost & Sullivan, the global growth consulting company.
Straumann's SLActive implant surface technology promises to set a new standard in tooth replacement and patient care by reducing healing times by half, to just 3-4 weeks. The implications of this are shorter treatment protocols, higher predictability and reduced risk with earlier loading.
SLActive implants are made of highly pure titanium and are specially treated to give them an optimal surface topography for bone cells to attach themselves. Using an innovative manufacturing process, the surface is conditioned in nitrogen and immediately preserved in an isotonic saline solution. This maintains its high surface activity, which would otherwise be lost due to reaction with the atmosphere. On the basis of preclinical and clinical results, these properties accelerate the healing process of osseointegration with the result that early bone-to-implant contact is significantly increased. This in turn results in greater implant stability and reduces the risk of implant failure by up to 60%(a).
SLActive is supported by more scientific studies than any other dental implant technology at market launch. For more information, please see the current edition of Starget, Straumann's customer magazine, or visit www.straumann.com/slactive.
About Frost & Sullivan Awards
Frost & Sullivan Best Practices Awards recognize outstanding industry achievements in regional and global markets. The Award for Technology of the Year is bestowed each year upon the company that has introduced a technology into the market place with innovative capabilities, and influence and impact over several market segments. This Award recognizes the company's successful technology development and introduction that is expected to significantly contribute to the industry in terms of adoption, change and competitive posture.
Methodology
Before considering the recipient of this Award, an analyst team tracks market participants' technology innovations through ongoing market research, market interviews and extensive secondary and technology research. Specific criteria are used to determine the final rankings. The recipient of this award has excelled based on one or more of the following criteria:
-- Degree of technology adoption in industry product lines or
strategies
-- Potential of technology to become an industry standard or degree of
acceptance in the market place
-- Impact of technology in terms of shifting market R&D focus
Recognition by industry participants as to the leadership of a
company in this technology
-- Established capabilities of the company to deliver this technology
to the market as an innovator
-- Market share growth through the successful introduction of
information to market
-- Dissemination of information of benefits and potential to end users
for quick acceptance by the market
-- Transition of end users to this technological advancement.
(a) Observations from an ongoing clinical impact study with 240
patients in 17 centers worldwide
About Straumann
Straumann (Other OTC:SAUHF)(SWX:STMN) is a global leader in implant dentistry and dental tissue regeneration. Since its foundation in 1954, the Swiss-based company has been driven by passion for scientific discovery and belongs to the pioneers of modern dental implantology.
Straumann researches, develops, produces and distributes dental implants, instruments and tissue regeneration products. It works closely with the International Team for Implantology (ITI), an independent international network of eminent clinicians and researchers, as well as leading clinics, research institutes and universities.
With its roots in Swiss precision and clinical excellence, the Straumann( Dental Implant System is renowned for its exceptional quality and is one of the most extensively scientifically documented implant systems in the world. Over the past ten years, several million Straumann implants have been placed, providing patients with dental replacement solutions that are widely regarded as the closest thing to natural teeth.
Straumann also develops and manufactures products that help to heal periodontally compromised teeth or to support implant procedures. These include innovative products such as Emdogain(R), a convenient protein-based gel which regenerates the periodontal tissue that supports the teeth. Its indications include the treatment of tissue recession due to periodontitis.
Straumann's products and services are available in more than 60 countries worldwide through the Group's 16 distribution subsidiaries and a broad network of distribution partners. Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Straumann employs 1293 people worldwide, and generated sales of CHF 420 million and a net income of CHF 101 million in 2004.
Pictorials and other information can be downloaded from www.straumann.com.
Disclaimer
This press release contains certain "forward-looking statements", which can be identified by the use of terminology such as: "healing", "promises", "optimal", "implications", "accelerate healing", "underway", "suggest", "may", "would", "risk", "goal" or similar wording. Such forward looking and other statements include statements regarding trial outcomes and statements that reflect the current views of independent researchers and/or of management and are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied. These include risks related to the success of and demand for the Group's products, the potential for the Group's products to become obsolete, the Group's ability to defend its intellectual property, the Group's ability to develop and commercialize new products in a timely manner, the dynamic and competitive environment in which the Group operates, the regulatory environment, changes in currency exchange rates, the Group's ability to generate revenues and profitability, and the Group's ability to realize its collaboration projects in a timely manner. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in this release. Straumann is providing the information in this release as of this date and does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in it as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.