SCHLIEREN (ZURICH), Switzerland, Sept. 25, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Kuros Biosciences (SIX: KURN) today announced the formation of its Strategic Advisory Board (SAB). The newly-formed SAB will work closely with Kuros’ leadership team to guide the strategic direction of the company. The SAB is assembled from key-opinion-leading surgeons and academic research experts, specialized in the treatment of disorders of the Spine. The board will sit for the first time in Los Angeles, USA on September 27, 2018, to coincide with the North American Spine Society annual meeting, at which Kuros Biosciences is presenting new scientific data in support of the Company’s bone graft product, MagnetOs, which was recently launched to market.
Joost de Bruijn, Chief Executive Officer of Kuros, said: “We are pleased to welcome some of the most recognized names in the field of spinal research onto our Strategic Advisory Board. Our SAB will provide the necessary input to ensure that we match our strategy to the needs of the market and continue to build value for the future.”
Strategic Advisory Board Members:
R. Todd Allen, MD, PhD – UCSD, San Diego, CA, US
Richard (Todd) Allen, MD, is board-certified orthopedic surgeon with expertise in complex adult reconstruction procedures for deformity/scoliosis and tumors. He also specializes in complex disorders of the upper cervical spine and in degenerative, traumatic, and post-traumatic conditions. Dr. Allen utilizes both a variety of minimally invasive and open surgical procedures for these conditions, focused on optimizing patient-centered outcomes. As an associate professor in the Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Dr. Allen is active in educating medical students, residents and fellows at UC San Diego School of Medicine. He is Spine Fellowship Director at UC San Diego and actively performs research on spinal deformity, biologics, disc replacement, and cost-effective/quality metrics in spine. He has been lead or contributing author to numerous peer-reviewed research publications and book chapters. He has presented nationally and internationally, including such meetings as our North American Spine Society (NASS) and American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS) meetings. He is part of the NASS Basic Science and Biologics Committee and continues to be highly active in several national committees advancing spine surgery research and outcomes.
Alpesh A. Patel, MD, FACS – North Western Medicine, Chicago, IL, US
Alpesh A. Patel, MD is the Director of Orthopedic Spine Surgery at Northwestern and a spine surgeon with fellowship training in both Orthopedic Spine Surgery and Neurosurgery. Dr. Patel specializes in cervical spine surgery and minimally invasive spine surgery. His experience and research include the areas of cervical spine surgery, cervical myelopathy, herniated discs, minimally invasive surgery, spine trauma and spinal cord injuries. Dr. Patel is known for his clinical research on patient outcomes, genetics of spinal disease, and injuries of the spine and spinal cord. He is also known for his research in cost-effectiveness and value in spine care, making spine surgery at Northwestern, as well as throughout the United States and the world, safer and more effective.
Kornelis Poelstra, MD, PhD – Sacred Heart Hospital, FL, US
Kornelis Poelstra is board certified in orthopedic spine surgery. He specializes primarily in long-construct minimally invasive spine surgeries, adult spinal deformity, oncologic conditions, spinal fracture treatment and cervical disc replacements. He is one of the world leaders in Robotic Spine Surgery and has performed more than 600 complex robotic cases thus far. He has an extensive research background in implant associated wound infections, novel material sciences for both spine- as well as orthopedic implant designs and worked on stem cell implantation for spinal cord injury. The mechanical- and cellular processes salient for the formation of a stable arthrodesis and implant incorporation into the human body are of specific interest to him. He founded the Spine Center of Excellence at Sacred Heart Hospital in North-West Florida and has been directing this Institution since its inception.
Andrew A. Sama, MD – HSS, New York, NY, US
Dr. Andrew Sama is Associate Professor of Clinical Orthopedic Surgery at Weill Cornell Medical College and previously served as Director of Spine Surgery Fellowship at Hospital for Special Surgery. Dr. Andrew Sama specializes in the management of all traumatic, degenerative, and deformity-related conditions of the cervical, thoracic, and lumbosacral spine. He has received several research grants, including funding from the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Sama is involved in product development and has helped design several orthopedic implant devices. He has published articles in numerous peer-reviewed medical journals and co-edited a textbook titled ‘Lateral Access Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery’. He is on the editorial board of Current Reviews in Musculoskeletal Medicine and serves as a reviewer for the journals Spine and Clinical Orthopedics and Related Research.
Faheem Sandhu, MD, PhD – MedStar Health, Chevy Chase, MD, US
Faheem Sandhu, MD, PhD, is director of Spine Surgery at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital and professor of Neurological Surgery at Georgetown University Medical Center. He specializes in minimally invasive and complex spinal surgery. Dr. Sandhu is an innovator in the field and holds several patents. His practice includes all areas of spine conditions: degenerative, deformity, tumor, and trauma. He has special interest in minimally invasive spine surgery and applying these techniques to all aspects of spinal surgery as well as disc arthroplasty and disorders of the craniocervical junction. Dr. Sandhu has authored more than 50 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters and has presented his research at major meetings in the U.S. and abroad. He regularly teaches courses on techniques of minimally invasive spine surgery. He is a Diplomate of the American Board of Neurological Surgeons and a Fellow of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons.
Prof. Bill Walsh PhD – UNSW, Sydney, Australia
W.R. Walsh, Ph.D. is a Professor in the Prince of Wales Clinical School, Division of Surgery at University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia, and Director of Surgical & Orthopaedic Research Laboratories, Prince of Wales Hospital. His research lies at the interface between implanted materials, including autograft, allograft and synthetic biomaterials, and the connective tissues of the body. The foundation of his research interests center on understanding the biology and biomechanics of connective tissues during healing, age and disease; this involves research techniques from the macro to molecular level. Bill has over 385 peer reviewed journal publications, book chapters and patents. He is on several editorial boards including Biomaterials, CORR, Muscle Tendon Ligament Journal, Journal of Biomechanics, The Spine Journal and Frontiers in Surgery and Bone and Joint Research.
About MagnetOs
MagnetOs promotes local bone formation equivalent to current gold standard, autograft. MagnetOs is a bone graft substitute intended to fill bony voids or gaps of the human skeletal system and promote the formation of bone at the implanted site. A substantial number of clinically relevant and predictive studies have demonstrated its equivalence to the current gold standard (patient’s own bone, which may not be available in sufficient quantities and/or involves morbidity, costs and pain associated with its harvesting from another healthy site of the patient’s body). MagnetOs is a bone graft comprising biphasic calcium phosphate with an advanced submicron surface topography that directs bone formation after implantation. With its unique submicron surface topography, MagnetOs preferentially directs early wound healing toward the bone-forming pathway, resulting in an osteoinductive claim in Europe. MagnetOs is available as granules and as a putty formulation.
About Kuros Biosciences AG
Kuros Biosciences (SIX:KURN) is focused on the development of innovative products for bone regeneration and is located in Schlieren (Zurich), Switzerland and Bilthoven, The Netherlands. Visit www.kurosbio.com for additional information on Kuros, its people, science and product pipeline.
Forward Looking Statements
This media release contains certain forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to be materially different from historical results or from any future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. You are urged to consider statements that include the words “will” or “expect” or the negative of those words or other similar words to be uncertain and forward-looking. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from any future results expressed or implied by any forward-looking statements include scientific, business, economic and financial factors. Against the background of these uncertainties, readers should not rely on forward-looking statements. The Company assumes no responsibility for updating forward-looking statements or adapting them to future events or developments.
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