MedShape Solutions announced today that it is pursuing Phase III SBIR awards and has received preferred vendor status at Veterans Health Administration Hospitals and other Federally funded hospitals for its MORPHIX ™ Shape Memory Suture Anchor. The MORPHIX device was developed with financial assistance through NIH/NIAMS Grants # 1R43AR056154-01, 2R44AR056154-02, 5R44AR056154-03. The MORPHIX Anchor is being highlighted and launched nationally at the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons meeting in New Orleans, March 10-13, 2010.
The Small Business Act Policy Directive provides that "Government owned, contractor operated facilities….give preference including sole source awards to the awardee that developed the technology." Section 4 (c) (7) The Directive also states that "the competition for SBIR Phase I and Phase II awards satisfies any competition requirement of the Armed Services Procurement Act, The Federal Property and Administrative Services Act and the Competition in Contracting Act." Section 4 (c) (3)
"The development of the MORPHIX Suture Anchor with SBIR support was a textbook case of how a partnership in development should occur. The grant funding received was critical to the development success and eventual commercialization of this innovative technology," stated Chris Fair, Chief Operations Officer of MedShape Solutions.
MedShape Solutions initial product is the MORPHIX Suture Anchor made from proprietary shape memory PEEK Altera. "We anticipate releasing additional technologies in the months ahead that were supported via SBIR Phase I & Phase II awards for their development. These technologies will also receive the same preferred supplier status within their product category," stated Kurt Jacobus, PhD, President & CEO of MedShape Solutions.
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