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St. Francis Medical Technologies to Present at the Medtech Insight and Windhover Information's ''In3 Medical Device Summit'' Conference, June 21-23, 2006 in San Francisco, CA

Posted on: Friday, 9 June 2006, 09:01 CDT

St. Francis Medical Technologies, Inc.(R) announced today that it will present on Thursday, June 22 at 11:40am at the Medtech Insight and Windhover Information's "In3 Medical Device Summit" Conference, at the Palace Hotel in San Francisco. Chief Financial Officer Michael Bates will be presenting an overview of the company and its X STOP(R) product, the first and only FDA-approved interspinous process device to treat Lumbar Spinal Stenosis, a degenerative spinal disorder that limits mobility.

St. Francis Medical Technologies, Inc.(R) is devoted to delivering on the promise of motion preserving spine solutions. In November 2005, the company received U.S. FDA PMA approval to market its patented X STOP(R) Interspinous Process Decompression (IPD(R)) System ("X STOP"), a titanium alloy implant, to alleviate the symptoms of lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS), a common spinal problem suffered mainly by the middle-aged and elderly population and often associated with debilitating pain in the back and legs that often limits mobility.

Inserted through a small incision in a procedure that typically is performed under local anesthesia in less than an hour, the X STOP is placed between two bones called spinous processes of the symptomatic discs in the low back. The X STOP is designed to limit extension of the lumbar spine, and keep open the canal in the lower spine that carries nerves to the legs, thereby relieving symptoms.

The X STOP allows patients to walk out of the hospital the same day due to rapid recovery and minimal risk of systemic and local complications. As it is not fixed to any bony structures, the X STOP procedure does not result in fusion and is completely reversible without compromising any therapeutic alternatives, including laminectomy. Clinically proven to relieve patients' symptoms, X STOP is well-poised to become the new standard of care for LSS patients.

St. Francis markets the device through 26 independent distributors and four direct sales representatives in the U.S. Since its U.S. market introduction in early January, St. Francis has trained more than 500 spine surgeons around the country in the X STOP IPD procedure and more 7,000 X STOP devices have been implanted worldwide. It is reimbursed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and by most major health plans. Upon pre-certification, greater than 80% of payors are extending benefits for coverage.

St. Francis also expects to start feasibility studies on its second product platform in the second quarter of 2006. Venture Capital investors in St. Francis include U.S. Venture Partners, Versant Ventures and Essex Woodlands Health Ventures.

About St. Francis Medical Technologies

St. Francis Medical Technologies is a privately-held company based in Alameda, California engaged in the discovery, development, manufacturing and marketing of novel treatments for degenerative spinal disorders worldwide. In November 2005, St. Francis received FDA approval for the X STOP, the first and only FDA-approved interspinous process implant to treat Lumbar Spinal Stenosis (LSS), a degenerative spinal disorder that may affect over two million Americans. As a result, patients and healthcare professionals finally have a safe and effective alternative to more aggressive, riskier procedures. For more information, please visit: www.sfmt.com.

About Medtech Insight

A division of Windhover Information Inc., Medtech Insight is the leading provider of business information and market intelligence for the medical technology marketplace. The In3 Medical Device Summit (www.meddevicesummit.com) is Medtech Insight's 21st investment and partnering event to date. To register to attend or for more information on Medtech Insight, please call Kristy Grimes at (480) 985-9512 or (888) 202-5939 toll-free in the U.S., e-mail kristy@medtechinsight.com, or visit www.medtechinsight.com.

Source: Business Wire

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