Conformis, Inc., branded as Conformis, is a global medical device company, publicly traded on the NASDAQ (NASDAQ: CFMS).[1] Founded in 2004 by Dr. Phillipp Lang, Conformis primarily designs and manufactures patient-specific knee and hip replacement implants for orthopaedic patients.[2] The implants are used by surgeons to treat osteoarthritis.[3]
Headquartered in Billerica, Massachusetts, Conformis uses its proprietary iFit Image-to-Implant technology to manufacture and sell patient-specific implants and instruments. Conformis is best known for developing individualized prostheses, and offers related services for the orthopaedic medical industry.[4] The company’s technology has been implanted in more than 100,000 patients and continues to make notable advancements for the medical field. In the United States and internationally, Conformis' products are sold directly to doctors, hospitals, and other healthcare facilities.[5][6]
Conformis technology is designed for a minimally invasive procedure that is unique for every patient by incorporating imaging technology in both the design and surgical planning processes.[7][8] The company has also received several awards for its innovative products.[9]
The founder of Conformis, Dr. Phillip Lang, is a graduate of UCLA and a professor at Harvard Medical School. He is a radiologist with extensive experience of more than 20 years in the medical device industry.
Dr. Phillip Lang founded Conformis in 2004 with the idea to depart from the norm of standardized joint implants to create individualized implants for each patient.[10] Conformis uses patients’ CT scans to design their implants.[11] 3D printers are used to manufacture the jigs (instrumentation) for the surgery.[12] The metal parts of the implants are molded according to the unique anatomical structure of each patient.[13][14]
Conformis introduced its iUni and iDuo products in 2007, iTotal CR in 2011, iTotal PS in 2015, and the Conformis Hip System in 2018.[15] In 2016, the iTotal PS product won the Gold Stevie Award, presented by the American Business Awards (recognizing advances in business products and innovation in technology) in the health and pharmaceuticals category.[16]
Conformis designs and manufactures multiple products, with an emphasis on sterile, patient-specific knee and hip implants and single-use instruments that are directly delivered to medical facilities.[17] The implants are used by surgeons to treat osteoarthritis. Conformis utilizes a direct sales force and a network of sales representatives and distributors in the global market. Conformis has a sales presence in the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, Austria, Ireland, Switzerland, Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Monaco, Hungary, Spain, Australia, Argentina, Benelux, United Arab Emirates, Italy, and other markets.[18]
Products manufactured by Conformis:
iTotal - This line of primary knee replacement implants was designed by Conformis to mitigate common post-surgery complications encountered by patients undergoing a full knee replacement, such as residual pain and functional limitations.[19][20][21][22] iTotal implants are categorized into CR (cruciate-retaining) and PS (posterior-stabilized), both of which are designed individually according to the patient’s anatomy. iTotal was designed for optimal bone preservation, and is delivered directly to medical facilities with patient-specific instrumentation in a pre-sterilized kit[23][24]
Hip System - This system was introduced in 2018. It is designed using 3D imaging technology to reflect each patient’s unique hip anatomy.[25]
iUni & iDuo - These two partial knee implant products were designed for the patients suffering from partial osteoarthritis.[26] The patient-specific design of these products ensures that only the affected part of the knee is replaced.[27]
iJig instrumentation – The pre-sterilized kit designed delivered to surgeons contains all the instruments required for an implant surgery. The instruments are designed and 3D-printed using the CT scan data of each patient, and then delivered to medical facilities for one-time use.[28][29]
Conformis has raised a total of $438.3 million in 11 rounds. 14 investors have provided funds to this company, of which 6 were the lead investors: East West Bank, Innovatus Capital Partners, Oxford Finance LLC, Agc Equity Partners, Axel Johnson and Aries Capital.[30]