Ad hoc announcement pursuant to Art. 53 LR

Dental implant manufacturer banned from falsely claiming its cut-price implants are hydrophilic

 

 
  • German court orders Medentis Medical GmbH (“Medentis”) to retract claim that its ICX-templant has a hydrophilic surface
  • Tests prove Medentis claim to be spurious

 

 

Basel, 26 February 2013 – Straumann has won an important legal battle against a cut-price implant manufacturer, who misleadingly claimed its dental implants had a hydrophilic surface. A German court has ruled definitively that Medentis Medical GmbH (Dernau, Germany) must retract the claim that its ICX-templant implant is ‘hydrophilic’.

 

Medentis initially contested the injunction, but the Court found the company’s supporting evidence to be unconvincing. In a hearing on 24 January 2013, Medentis withdrew the appeal and accepted the injunction.

 

The court’s ruling was prompted by Straumann, the leading manufacturer of hydrophilic implants. Straumann tested the ICX-templant in its own laboratories, and found that the Medentis product is in fact hydrophobic (i.e. its contact angle is clearly greater than 90°). The hydrophilic properties of Straumann’s SLActive technology enhance osseointegration and therefore shorten healing times compared to those without hydrophilicity – as demonstrated in preclinical and clinical investigations.1,2,3,4,5

 

“Dentists and patients have been misled by claims”, said Dr René Willi, Executive Vice President and Head of Straumann’s Surgical Business. “Medentis ICX-templant implants do not offer hydrophilicity, which promotes faster healing. Faster osseointegration provides secondary stability when the implant is placed. The court’s ruling makes this clear and sends an important signal to implant manufacturers. We are determined to take a strong, justified stand against imitators, in the interest of patients.”

 

 

About Straumann

Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Straumann (SIX: STMN) is a global leader in implant, restorative and regenerative dentistry. In collaboration with leading clinics, research institutes and universities, Straumann researches, develops and manufactures dental implants, instruments, prosthetics and tissue regeneration products for use in tooth replacement and restoration solutions or to prevent tooth loss. Straumann currently employs approximately 2500 people worldwide and its products and services are available in more than 70 countries through its broad network of distribution subsidiaries and partners.

 

 

Straumann Holding AG, Peter Merian-Weg 12, 4002 Basel, Switzerland.

Phone: +41 (0)61 965 11 11 / Fax: +41 (0)61 965 11 01

E-mail: investor.relations@straumann.com or corporate.communication@straumann.com

Homepage: www.straumann.com

 

 

Contacts:

 

Corporate Communication:

Mark Hill              

+41 (0)61 965 13 21

 

Thomas Konrad

+41 (0)61 965 15 46

 

Investor Relations:

Fabian Hildbrand

+41 (0)61 965 13 27

 

 

Straumann Media Releases subscription:

www.straumann.com/en/home/investor-relations/ir-contacts-and-services/subscription.html

 

RSS feed subscription:

www.straumann.com/en/home/media/media-releases.news.rss

 

 

References

1 Buser D, Broggini N, Wieland M, Schenk RK, Denzer AJ, Cochran DL, Hoffmann B, Lussi A, Steinemann SG. Enhanced bone apposition to a chemically modified SLA titanium surface. J Dent Res 2004;83:529-533.

2 Ferguson SJ, Broggini N, Wieland M, de Wild M, Rupp F, Geis-Gerstorfer J, Cochran DL, Buser D. Biomechanical evaluation of the interfacial strength of a chemically modified sandblasted and acid-etched titanium surface. J Biomed Mater Res A 2006;78:291-297.

3 Schwarz F, Ferrari D, Herten M, Mihatovic I, Wieland M, Sager M, Becker J. Effects of surface hydrophilicity and microtopography on early stages of soft and hard tissue integration at non-submerged titanium implants: an immunohistochemical study in dogs. J Periodontol 2007;78:2171-2184.

4 Schwarz F, Sager M, Ferrari D, Herten M, Wieland M, Becker J. Bone regeneration in dehiscence-type defects at non-submerged and submerged chemically modified (SLActive) and conventional SLA titanium implants: an immunohistochemical study in dogs. J Clin Periodontol 2008;35:64-75.

5 Lang NP, Salvi GE, Huynh-Ba G, Ivanovski S, Donos N, Bosshardt DD. Early osseointegration to hydrophilic and hydrophobic implant surfaces in humans. Clin Oral Implants Res 2011;22:349-356.

 

 

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