Orteq

Orteq Sports Medicine, established in 2005, is a privately-held medical device company specializing in joint preservation solutions for orthopedic and sports medicine injuries. The company is headquartered in London, UK, with manufacturing facilities in Groningen, the Netherlands. Orteq was founded to commercialize repair solutions using its proprietary polymer platform technology.

The company's primary product is the Actifit® meniscal scaffold, a biodegradable and biocompatible polymer implant designed to repair irreparable tears in the meniscus, the cartilage that cushions the knee joint. Actifit is made from a polyurethane polymer processed to create a porous, honeycomb-like structure. When implanted into the damaged area of the meniscus via arthroscopic (key-hole) surgery, this scaffold allows the patient's own body to grow new tissue, forming a new cushion to relieve pain and restore mobility. Over time, the implant is naturally absorbed by the body. The technology was developed in the Netherlands and is an alternative to a partial meniscectomy, which can lead to chronic pain and arthritis.

Actifit has received a CE Mark in Europe, allowing it to be sold in over 30 countries, and has been implanted in over 4,000 patients. In 2020, it was granted a Breakthrough Device Designation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which is intended to expedite its review for the U.S. market. Orteq is also developing CartiONE™, a single-stage cell-based therapy for articular cartilage repair.

Keywords: meniscus implant, biodegradable scaffold, joint preservation, sports medicine, orthopedic devices, tissue regeneration, knee surgery, Actifit, arthroscopic surgery, polyurethane polymer, cartilage repair, medical technology, regenerative medicine, meniscal tears, surgical devices