LOQTEQ®: Granted US patent extends aap 's IP-family / No case of cold welding observed

aap reports that the US patent and trademark office has granted another patent extending the LOQTEQ® IP-family through publication of a notice of allowance. The LOQTEQ® technology is based on an IP-family, consisting of patents that are granted in Europe and the US. Additional patents in both regions are still pending. This notice supports the extension of the IP-based LOQTEQ® portfolio.

With the launch of LOQTEQ® aap has been conducting a post market follow-up study with over 150 patients aiming at validating the advantage of LOQTEQ® with regard to reduce cold welding. One of the problems with titanium locking plates is the removal of screws during explantation, often attributable to cold welding of screw heads into the threads of the locking screw holes. Difficulties in removing such kind of trauma implants are related to time-consuming surgical procedures as well substantial risk exposures regarding patient safety. Risks of implant removal include wound-healing problems, neurovascular injury, failure to remove all of the implant and refracture. aap 's LOQTEQ® technology is based on unique design features which are supposed to address adequately this clinical issue.

aap presented today some of the results of this study during the EFORT Congress (European Federation of National Associations of Orthopaedics and Traumatology) in London to a broad audience. The results show that so far there has been no observation of a cold welding case with the LOQTEQ® plates and screws. aap continues the study with additional patients until the end of 2014.

Both, the granted US patent and the results of the study, underline our strategic imperative of value-based innovations that combine clinical and economic benefits with features such as simple handling, easy implantation and removal, reduced patient risks and the saving of healthcare costs. 

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

For further information, please contact:

distributed by