NUVASIVE ACQUIRES CERVICAL NUCLEUS-LIKE DEVICE

Through its acquisition of technology and assets from AMI Holdings subsidiary Pearsalls, a privately owned company based in the UK, medical devicemaker NuVasive has acquired a cervical nucleus-like replacement device called Neodisc.

Neodisc offers NuVasive -- a developer of products for minimally disruptive surgical treatments for the spine -- a first to U.S. market potential with a nucleus-like device designed to preserve motion in the cervical region of the spine and fills the gap between presurgical treatment and total disc replacement (TDR) or spine fusion. The company believes Neodisc will be attractive for use in broad indications and pathologies because it is easily revisable and is intended to involve a relatively simple surgical placement procedure.

NuVasive will seek FDA approval for commercialization of the Neodisc and anticipates filing an investigational device exemption application in the fourth quarter. The company believes the Neodisc could be commercially available in Europe as early as 2007 and commercialized in the U.S. in the 2010 time frame.