As part of the collaboration with license partner Zimmer Biomet, Bactiguard had the opportunity to participate in the 50th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society for Fracture Repair (JSFR) held in Sendai, Japan. Together with Zimmer Biomet’s APAC commercial teams, we introduced the ZNN Bactiguard trauma nail and our infection prevention technology to leading orthopedists and key opinion leaders within the medical community in Japan. This follows the regulatory approval of ZNN Bactiguard by the Japanese PMDA (Pharmaceutical and Medical Devices Agency) obtained in 2023.
Bactiguard’s Chief Medical Officer Pankaj Malhotra and Zimmer Alliance Lead Sophie Dahan engaged in numerous one-on-one sessions and group meetings with key opinion leaders and medical professionals from across Japan. A true highlight was the presentation by Dr. Prof. Yoshinobu Watanabe, MD, PhD, Director of the Department of Orthopedic Surgery and the Trauma & Reconstruction Center at Teikyo University School of Medicine, and Ex-Chairman of the JSFR. His lecture on “Fracture Related Infection” attracted hundreds of delegates and addressed the challenges and medical needs in fracture infection management. Dr. Watanabe covered new advancements, including the ZNN Bactiguard technology, emphasizing its significant potential and relevance in Japanese healthcare.
Pankaj Malhotra comments: “Being on Japanese soil presenting our technology live to such a diverse audience with key opinion leaders and healthcare professionals from across Japan was a great opportunity for Bactiguard. They were impressed by the potential of our technology and how it addresses the critical medical needs of preventing infections in fracture management.”
Sophie Dahan continues: “This was a great example of how a strong partnership works in practice. ZNN Bactiguard is an advanced medical device differentiated through our infection prevention technology. Introducing it together makes it much easier and more relevant for the clinicians as they can raise any question related to both our technology and the trauma implant as such. And the positive feedback on the mode of action was overwhelming.”
Bactiguard has two partnerships with Zimmer Biomet, a global leader in the orthopedic therapeutic area. The first is a licensing partnership related to Zimmer Biomet’s orthopedic trauma implants, and the second covers implants for joint reconstruction of the hips, knees, and shoulders, as well as sports medicine and cranio-maxillofacial and thoracic applications.