Zacks_Analysts' Blog : Wright Releases New Foot Product - Analyst Blog

Wright Medical Group (WMGI), a worldwide orthopedic company, recently announced the commercial launch of the PRO-TOE VO Hammertoe Fixation System. This system, designed with assistance from extremity specialists, offers a relatively easy mechanism for surgically repairing the lesser toes after correction of a hammer toe deformity.

The PRO-TOE VO Hammertoe System is being exhibited by Wright, at the yearly conference of the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons, from March 9 to March 12, 2011 in Fort Lauderdale.

A hammer toe is characterized by a contraction of the tissues around the joints of the lesser toes, causing considerable discomfort and pain along with an altered physical appearance. According to estimates, about 10% to 20% of the American population will be afflicted by hammer toes at some stage during their lifetime.

More than 500,000 victims reach out for surgical help each year. While a large number of such surgeries are treated on a conventional basis with fixation by pins, the PRO-TOE VO Hammertoe implant provides a reasonable alternative surgical solution for the problem.

Wright’s specialized foot and ankle sales team will soon make available the new PRO-TOE VO Hammertoe System in the U.S. The product will be marketed in certain foreign countries through the company’s direct and distributor-based sales representatives.

Wright Medical is a global orthopedic devices company specializing in the design, manufacture and marketing of reconstructive joint devices and bio-orthopedic materials. It is a leading provider of surgical solutions for the foot and ankle market.

We feel future revenue growth will be supported by new product (including internally developed and those from acquisitions) launches. Moreover, new deals in extremities, Wright Medical’s fastest growing segment, are expected to bolster growth in this business.

Our views are moderated by intense competition from larger players, pricing pressure, and a still soft U.S. orthopedic reconstruction market. Wright Medical competes with much larger players such as Zimmer Holdings (ZMH), Stryker (SYK), Johnson & Johnson’s (JNJ) De Puy and Smith & Nephew (SNN). We are currently Neutral on the stock.