Össur Recognized by World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) as Leading Assistive Technology Development

REYKJAVIK, Iceland, March 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Össur (Nasdaq: OSSR), a global leader in the orthotics and prosthetics (O&P) industry with a rich history of ground-breaking innovations, has been recognized by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) for its intellectual property leadership in conventional mobility assistive technology. WIPO is a specialized agency of the United Nations and serves as the global forum for intellectual property policy, services, information and cooperation worldwide.

The WIPO Technology Trends Report 2021: Assistive Technologies is the first study to systematically investigate patenting and technology trends across assistive technology at scale, analyzing data on patent filings from 1998-2019.

Key findings in the report show that Össur ranks second in the world for top patent applicants in conventional mobility assistive technologies, following only Toyota and ranking among such other global leaders as Panasonic, Honda and Stryker.

Össur is also listed among the top applicants in patent filings for advanced prosthetics and exoskeletons, and ranks 12th in the world among top patent applicants for emerging mobility assistive technologies. The report notes that patents for advanced prosthetics, including neuroprosthetics - also known as "mind-controlled" prostheses, a field that Össur pioneered with the world's first-in-man cases in 2015 - as well as smart and 3D printed prosthetics and exoskeletons, have grown at a 24% average annual growth rate.

Össur's accomplishments are especially notable considering that WIPO reported that patents for assistive technologies to enable mobility have been the leading area of filings since 2014, and that the number of average annual patent filings in this area overshadow the total combined number of filings in the six other domains covered by the report, comprised of cognition, communication, hearing, environment, self-care, and vision.

According to WIPO's report, over 1 billion people currently need assistive technology - a figure expected to double in the next decade as populations age. Continuing innovation is cited as a primary factor in greatly improving the lives of persons with functional limitations, helping them overcome daily obstacles in navigating their environments, communicating, working and living independently.

The report also highlights imagery of Össur's Bionic RHEO KNEE®, and a case study on Össur's Pro-Flex® range of prosthetic feet, which is covered by over 20 patents and features a variety of technological advances intended to improve a user's stability and energy efficiency, and produce a highly natural gait and increased range of ankle motion when compared to other conventional carbon fiber prostheses.

"We are honored by WIPO's acknowledgment of our company's contributions to new innovations that can help more people achieve greater mobility. Since Össur was founded in 1971 and first recognized for our innovative silicone liner, we have continued building upon this legacy of innovation, fueled by our commitment to apply advanced technological approaches that can help even more people enjoy life without limitations," said Jon Sigurdsson, Össur President and CEO. "Receiving this acknowledgment during our 50^th anniversary gives us one more thing to celebrate, and also inspires us to continue raising the bar even further as we continue progressing as a company."

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Edda H. Geirsdottir
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SOURCE Össur hf.