DePuy and Stryker Close In on Zimmer in the Nearly $7 Billion US Large-Joint Reconstructive Implant Market

WALTHAM, Mass., April 29 /PRNewswire/ -- According to Millennium Research Group (MRG), the global authority on medical technology market intelligence, in 2009, the margin narrowed between US large-joint reconstructive implant market leader Zimmer and the second- and third-leading competitors, DePuy and Stryker, due to new product launches and device complications.

Between 2008 and 2009, sales of Zimmer's hip and knee replacement implants were outpaced by most of the other manufacturers in the market, particularly DePuy and Stryker. Growth of Zimmer's hip replacement implant sales were hampered by continued fallout from the voluntary sales suspension of the company's Durom Cup. Meanwhile, in response to the growing demand for metal-on-metal hip replacements, DePuy released the aSPHERE M-Spec Contoured Metal Head in January 2009 and was able to capture some of the market previously served by Zimmer. Zimmer's knee replacement implant revenue growth also slowed as the company diverted attention from marketing and product development to enacting strict physician consulting and payment protocols. This shift in focus allowed Stryker to gain traction in this market with strong sales of its Triathlon knee implant system, designed to better mimic the natural knee and thus improve mobility and stability.  

This year will bring continued shifts in the competitive landscape. In March, Zimmer launched the versatile Continuum Cup, which accommodates multiple bearing surfaces, and is expected to regain some of its share in the US hip replacement implant market. Meanwhile, DePuy is already facing backlash from the recent withdrawal of its ASR hip resurfacing system due to reports of complications with that implant.

"2009 was a challenging year for many reconstructive hip and knee implant manufacturers," says Melissa Hussey, Senior Analyst at MRG. "At first, growth in procedure volumes slowed as some patients delayed their hip or knee replacements. The second half of the year, however, saw procedure volumes and implant sales rebound as patients began to reschedule their surgeries in response to the improving economic outlook. As the market continues its upward trend, launching and marketing innovative technologies with a clear value proposition will remain critical to companies' success as they jockey for market position."  

MRG's US Markets for Large-Joint Reconstructive Implants 2010 report provides critical insight into emerging trends that will fuel revenue growth in the hip and knee replacement implant markets. A complete breakdown of unit sales, average selling prices, and revenues by device type, including five-year forecasts, up-to-date market shares, and in-depth qualitative insights is provided.

About Millennium Research Group

Millennium Research Group (www.MRG.net), a Decision Resources, Inc. company (www.DecisionResourcesInc.com), is the global authority on medical technology market intelligence and the leading provider of strategic information to the healthcare sector. The company provides specialized industry expertise through multiclient market research, ongoing Marketrack™ projects, customer behavior tracking, facility-level procedure forecasting, and customized solutions.

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SOURCE Millennium Research Group