Stryker Strikes Back — a Strategic Exit in Spine
Another week of Stryker dominating our news feed.
In case you missed it, the company has reached an agreement to sell its U.S. Spinal Implants business to the Viscogliosi Bros., LLC family investment firm specializing in neuro-musculoskeletal technology, for an undisclosed amount.
The deal also includes a bid to acquire the company’s spinal products in France, and the inception of a new company called VB Spine, LLC.
Via its strategic relationship with Stryker, VB Spine have exclusive access to the robotic Mako Spine and Copilot portfolio to use with its implants.
Let’s take a deeper look at this deal, the spine market and landscape, and the numbers that contextualize the significance of the decision.
The Numbers
Stryker CEO Kevin Lobo explained that selling the spinal implants business was driven by the challenges of meeting high performance expectations in a competitive, highly segmented spine market.
Both U.S. and global markets are tough. According to LSI ’s Global Market Analysis and Projections, a trusted global market sizing database, over 50% of the $11.5B Spine Devices Market is dominated by three companies: Globus Medical , 美敦力 , and Johnson & Johnson MedTech 's DePuy Synthes . The remaining share is fragmented among numerous competitors, including Stryker’s former spine business.
Market growth further complicates the landscape. LSI’s Global Market Analysis and Projections forecast a modest 3.9% CAGR for the global spine device market from 2024 to 2029—significantly slower than the overall medtech market’s 6.6% CAGR.
Given Stryker's strategy to leverage M&A to expand in high-growth markets, which we covered in a previous edition of The Numbers, it's consistent that the company would reassess its spine portfolio.
In the U.S., we see similar trends. According to LSI’s Global Surgical Procedure Volumes database, a trusted resource with coverage of 300+ diagnostic and therapeutic procedures in 12 major categories across 37 countries, approximately 1.7 million spine procedures were performed in 2024.
From 2024 to 2029, procedures including fusions, discectomies, decompressions, and fracture repairs, are projected to grow at just a 2.0% CAGR, slower than the growth of the U.S. 65+ population.
Notably, while U.S. spine procedure volumes are growing slowly, global spine procedures are expected to increase at a more robust 8.3% CAGR over the same period.
The Spine Market Landscape
When comparing the spine market to other orthopedic segments, the saturation and constant influx of new companies stand out.
Unlike large joint replacement markets (e.g., knee, hip) where new entrants are rare, the spine market is highly competitive. with rapid innovation driving new entrants and other factors like strong surgeon influence that lower barriers to entry.
Additionally, spine disease treatments demand continuous innovation. Current options (think fusion challenges) have significant limitations and often lack the robustness needed to address the complexities of spine disease.
Stryker’s focus on delivery, through platforms like Mako and its Q Guidance System, enables the company to maintain a strong presence in the spine market without having to chase every innovation.
Innovation We're Tracking
As the deals continue to pick up in 2025, there are a number of exciting companies that are on our analyst team's watchlist (and are likely on the watchlist of the multinational medtech companies as well).
Through LSI's global partnering events (LSI USA, LSI Europe, LSI Asia), we have a front row seat to the leading innovators in medtech, and continue to track industry-wide private companies and deals in our Companies & Deals Database.
1. NanoHive Medical (LSI USA ‘21, ‘22)
领英推荐
2. Accelus (LSI USA ‘24)
3. Moving Spine
4. Discure Technologies (LSI USA ‘21, ‘23, ‘25)
What's Next?
On the heels of this acquisition, John Viscogliosi, Founding Member and Principal, will deliver the closing Fireside Chat at LSI USA ‘25.
John has spent his career advancing healthcare, medical technology, and the neuromusculoskeletal industry. As Chairman and CEO of Centinel Spine (2004–2020), he led the Prodisc acquisition from Johnson & Johnson, doubling the company’s global reach and driving double-digit revenue growth. A founding member of VB, he has co-founded and scaled multiple NMS businesses, including Paradigm Spine and Small Bone Innovations, playing a key role in major acquisitions by 强生公司 and Zimmer Holdings.
At LSI USA ‘25, John will discuss the Viscogliosi Brothers journey, the Stryker deal, and what comes next for VB Spine.
Although Stryker is stepping back from the spine market, it remains an area worthy of innovation. Tens of millions of patients undergo spine surgery each year.
Capturing market share through innovative products that meet these needs continues to be a valuable strategy. We look forward to the Viscogliosi Brothers’ insights on their approach to this market at LSI USA and eagerly await Stryker's next headlines this year.
More From LSI Market Intelligence
Until next week,
All data in this article is sourced from LSI's Market Intelligence Team
#1 Best Selling Author ? MedTech Engineering Solutions ?Project & Risk Management ? Regulatory & Compliance Expert ? V&V Guide ?? Cutting Edge Innovations ?Speaker
3 周Marc Viscogliosi awesome move! Glad to see how big you guys are becoming in the game!
Publisher Emeritus, Orthopedics This Week
3 周Valuation, VB objectives, is DePuy next? Who else is buying spine assets? Check out our analysis at: www.ryortho.com.
Stryker keeping us on our toes.
Founder/CEO of LSI
3 周Double win today - excellent issue of The Numbers and fresh copy of The Lens.