Freedom Lumbar Disc System

[Justin]

AxioMed founder gets promotion
By LESLIE STROOPE

2:38 pm, July 11, 2006

While he may not be in the driver’s seat, AxioMed Spine Corp. co-founder James Kuras is at least back in the front seat.

The company he helped start now has promoted him to chief operating officer from his post as senior vice president and chief technology officer. Mr. Kuras and his former partner Charles F. Birchall started the Garfield Heights-based spinal disc-making company in 2001.

Mr. Birchall resigned from the company as CEO in November 2003.

AxioMed CEO Patrick McBrayer said he was “thrilled” to have Mr. Kuras as the company’s COO. Mr. McBrayer was appointed CEO in April after former CEO David Floyd left the company in August 2005 to join Austin, Texas-based Abbott Spine as its general manager.

Mr. McBrayer said Mr. Kuras is a strong asset to the spine industry and Cleveland.

“He is a great person to have at the company, and we work very well together,” Mr. McBrayer said.

In his former roles, Mr. Kuras helped develop the Freedom Lumbar Disc System, the company’s first artificial spine disc replacement implant aimed at restoring the natural movement of the spine.

The company expects to begin clinical trials of the lumbar disc system sometime during the next year, according to Mr. McBrayer.

[Don]

I was just reading about this disc in an article. Has anyone heard anything from the trials, or who is conducting the trials? Just curious.

Don