MED-EL acquires Otorix AB’s bone conduction technology

Innsbruck, Austria – MED-EL has announced the acquisition of the Adjoin bone conduction hearing system from the Swedish medical device company Otorix. The system is a novel non-surgical solution for conductive hearing loss that will enable MED-EL to reach more candidates while expanding its portfolio of hearing solutions.

The system comprises two parts: an adhesive adapter and audio processor which are worn together discretely behind the ear. It is an excellent option for people with conductive hearing loss who are unsuitable for, or not wishing to undergo, bone conduction implant surgery. All system components are easy-to-use and maintain and transmit sound to the inner ear with no applied skin pressure.

Patrik Westerkull, founder and CEO of Otorix, said: “It was my ambition to take the bone conduction field further. With the Adjoin technology we finally have a non-implantable bone conduction solution that does not require pressure on the skin for effective and reliable sound transmission, while also providing excellent comfort and great aesthetics. I look forward to working with MED-EL on bringing this fantastic product to the market.”

The new product will be the first non-implantable hearing solution produced by MED-EL which already offers the widest range of implantable hearing solutions. This includes the world´s first active bone conduction implant – the BONEBRIDGE. The new combination of technology and expertise in this sector will support MED-EL’s growth in key markets.

Dr. Ingeborg Hochmair, global CEO of MED-EL, said: “This exciting technology will be an important supplement to our range of implantable solutions including the BONEBRIDGE. It fills the unmet need for a non-implantable bone conduction solution and firmly enforces MED-EL’s mission to overcome hearing loss as a barrier to communication and quality of life.”

First clinical trial results in the EU have been extremely successful and development of the product continues with an expected launch date in 2017. 

About MED-EL

Austria-based MED-EL Medical Electronics is a leading provider of hearing implant systems with 29 subsidiaries worldwide. The family-owned business is one of the pioneers in the industry. The two Austrian scientists Ingeborg and Erwin Hochmair developed the world’s first microelectronic-multichannel Cochlear-Implant in 1977. The cochlear implant was and remains the first replacement of a human sense, the sense of hearing. In 1990 they laid the foundation for the successful growth of the company when they hired their first employees. To date, the company has grown to more than 1,600 employees around the world.

Today MED-EL offers the widest range of implantable solutions worldwide to treat various degrees of hearing loss: cochlear and middle ear implant systems, EAS (combined Electric Acoustic Stimulation) hearing implant system and auditory brainstem implants as well as the world´s first active bone conduction implant. People in over 100 countries enjoy the gift of hearing with the help of a product from MED-EL.

Source: MED-EL