The musculoskeletal sector continues to be bogged down by the economic downturn, and particularly hard hit is the industry’s largest segment: the $13 billion total joint market. Companies are now scouting out the next technology wave in orthopedics, and the record attendance at the recent International Cartilage Repair Society meeting may be one indication of where the action will be for some time to come.

One of the hottest topics at the 2007 AAOS was the the trend toward resurfacing rather than completely replacing joints damaged by arthritis and other causes. There are a variety of metallic, synthetic and biologic methods used in hip, knee, shoulder and extremity joint resurfacing, many designed for younger patients who wish to remain active and avoid total joint replacement.

Each month, Start-Up presents a comprehensive review of young, private life science companies that have received venture funding during the month, including companies in the pharmaceutical, medical device, diagnostic and research instrumentation & reagent sectors.