LOQTEQ®: Comparative study of aap osteotomy implant's fatigue strength reveals outstanding characteristics compared with market leader

Berlin, 24 July 2014
aap announces that the Archives of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, the official journal of the German-speaking Arthroscopy Association (AGA), have published a new study proving the excellent performance of the LOQTEQ® High Tibial Osteotomy plate.

The LOQTEQ® osteotomy system developed by aap consists of two types of plates to correct malalignment of the upper (femur) and lower leg (tibia) and has been successfully applied for more than a year in Germany and many other countries. In addition to integrating the LOQTEQ® technology, the system is mainly characterised by the lean design of the LOQTEQ® high tibial osteotomy (HTO) plate compared with the market leader's TomoFix™1)medial tibial osteotomy plate, which was also tested. The design is intended to avoid soft tissue irritation and thereby lead to a relief of the burden on the patient. CE approval to the system was granted in May 2013, followed in November 2013 by the FDA approval for the US market.

In a biomechanical study of its fatigue strength by Petersen2)et al., aap 's LOQTEQ® high tibial osteotomy plate was tested in comparison with the market leader's TomoFix™ medial tibial osteotomy plate. The results of the study have been published online on July 12, 2014 in the Archives of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, published by Springer-Verlag of Berlin and Heidelberg. Their summary states that the "fatigue strength of the LOQTEQ® HTO plate was significantly higher in comparison to TomoFix™. These results justify the clinical use of the LOQTEQ® HTO plate."3).

The findings of this study confirm yet again the strategy pursued by aap of a strategic alignment to innovations that deliver both clinical and economic benefits. These include ease of handling, ease of implantation and removal, reduced risks for the patient and healthcare cost savings

aap plans to publish the full quarterly report for Q2 2014 on August 14, 2014.

1) TomoFix™ is a registered word mark of Synthes GmbH, Switzerland
2) Prof. Dr. med. Wolf Petersen is senior consultant at the Klinik für Unfallchirurgie und Orthopädie of the Martin-Luther-Krankenhaus in Berlin, where he is in charge of, inter alia, the annual course on corrective osteotomy.
3) Petersen, W. et al. (2014) Stability of two angular stable locking plates for open wedge high tibial osteotomy (HTO): TomoFix™ versus LOQTEQ® HTO plate, Archives of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery

This release contains forward-looking statements based on current experience, estimates and projections of the management board and currently available information. They are not guarantees of future performance. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. Many factors could cause the actual results, performance or achievements of aap to be materially different from those that may be expressed or implied by such statements. These factors include those discussed in aap 's public reports. Forward-looking statements therefore speak only as of the date they are made. aap does not assume any obligation to update the forward-looking statements contained in this release or to conform them to future events or developments

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