New Study Led by Dr. Kingsley R. Chin Demonstrates Superior Biomechanical Strength of InSpan® Interspinous Fusion Device

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Jun 16, 2025, 13:00 ET

Published in The Journal of Spine Surgery, the comparative analysis shows InSpan's dual-locking symmetrical design offers nearly double the fixation strength over the Aspen^® implant

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., June 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- A landmark biomechanical study led by Harvard-trained orthopedic spine surgeon professor and innovator Dr. Kingsley R. Chin , CEO and Founder of KIC Ventures, validates the InSpan^® interspinous fixation device (IFD) as a stronger and more reliable alternative to traditional interspinous designs for spinal fixation.

Comparison of InSpan® and Aspen® interspinous fixation devices (IFD). The InSpan IFD demonstrates staggered teeth, a central hub cut-out on each plate, and a final symmetrical dual-locking construct with two plates and two set screws. In contrast, the Aspen IFD features an asymmetrical design with a single plate and central hub secured by a single set screw.

Published in the peer-reviewed Journal of Spine Surgery (J Spine Surg. 2024 Sep 23;10(3):386-394. doi: 10.21037/jss-24-13), the study evaluated the fixation performance of the dual-locking symmetrical InSpan^® design against the single-locking asymmetrical Aspen^® IFD , originally developed by ZimVie and now owned by Highridge Medical, an H.I.G. Capital portfolio company.

"This is the first comparative study to scientifically validate the biomechanical advantages of modern interspinous fixation plate designs," said Dr. Chin. "Our findings show that the InSpan^® design delivers significantly greater fixation strength, which translates to better outcomes in the operating room and longer-term stability."

Key Findings:

InSpan demonstrated 94.8% greater resistance to pullout forces in static pullout testing compared to Aspen (P<0.05).
In static disassembly testing, InSpan required 60.7% more force than pristine Aspen devices—and over 400% more force in "used" conditions, reinforcing its locking strength.
Gross failure occurred not at the implant itself, but at the interface with the testing material, underscoring the superior engineering of InSpan's plate design and teeth structure .

The study was co-authored by a multidisciplinary team including Dr. Erik Spayde, Dr. William M. Costigan, CTO Vito Lore, and researchers from NANISX and KIC Ventures. All testing was conducted using an INSTRON 8874 Bi-Axial Servohydraulic System to simulate real-world biomechanical loading and failure conditions.

"InSpan's dual-locking and symmetrical plate architecture proves its merit as an advanced interspinous fixation system," said Vito Lore.

"This is a pivotal moment for LESS Exposure Spine Surgery as we shift more procedures to outpatient settings and require implants that are strong, fast, and less invasive." Said Dr Erik Spayde

About InSpan^® and LESS Exposure Spine Surgery
InSpan is a flagship innovation from NANISX, a KIC Ventures portfolio company focused on developing spine technologies optimized for ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs). The device is central to the LESS Exposure Spine Surgery (LESS™) REP philosophy, which prioritizes Restore function, Early intervention and Preserve anatomy.

The core design intent of InSpan®

InSpan^® was developed by a team of orthopedic spine surgeons and neurosurgeons to solve three key clinical challenges in outpatient spinal fusion:

Providing strong biomechanical fixation to promote stability and fusion without pedicle screws,
Achieving interlaminar placement to distract the posterior disc space and preserve or restore lumbar lordosis, and
Utilizing a dual-locking mechanism —inspired by spinal crosslinks—to ensure secure fixation and resist loosening under stress.

About Dr. Kingsley R. Chin

Dr. Chin is a professor and board-certified practicing orthopedic spine surgeon, Columbia-trained engineer, and Harvard-trained physician-entrepreneur. As Founder and CEO of KIC Ventures , he leads a portfolio of innovative spine technologies with more than 60 patents and 90+ peer-reviewed publications to his name.

About KIC Ventures.Founded in 2013 as the venture arm of Kingsley Investment Company (KIC) LLC, KIC Ventures focuses exclusively on advancing outpatient spine surgery through its Less Exposure Spine Surgery (LESS™) philosophy. With a portfolio of innovative spine technologies and a commitment to empowering physicians, KIC Ventures has become the world's largest private equity firm with a majority-owned portfolio of differentiated spine companies focused on outpatient spine solutions.

SOURCE KIC Ventures