Bioventus Bioness Integration Update – May 13, StimRouter Pilot Program – Speed and Compliance

As the integration moves midway into its second month, we have a significant update on the commercial front. Members of the commercial teams from both Bioventus and Bioness met this week in Durham to formally kick off the earlier mentioned pilot program and train Bioventus sales representatives on peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS), the StimRouter® product from Bioness, and to clearly understand the physicians, patient needs and market opportunity.

The target market for the pilot is the podiatric space and the territories selected are based on expanding the geographical reach of the current Bioness market development representatives, and the market potential based on existing Bioventus podiatric business with nerve procedural coding.

“In addition to gaining knowledge of marketplace opportunity for PNS, we want to better determine post-pilot, go-to-market strategy for Bioventus,” said John Nosenzo, Chief Commercial Officer. “This will better enable our collective success in achieving budget expectations for StimRouter.”

A cadaver lab was set up to further educate attendees on how StimRouter is implanted in patients.

There are 25 Bioventus sales representatives involved in the pilot. All told, in addition to John, US Sales Vice President, Phil Stead, the three area vice presidents and 19 directors of sales were also present for the meeting. Six directors of sales, without any reps involved in the pilot, joined the meeting virtually. The training was a mix of presentations, panel discussion, and role-playing. It even included a cadaver lab.

“We thought it was important that all sales leadership went through our two and a half days of training,” said Phil “This included presentations from Dr. Steven Barrett and Dr. Clark Larsen, two top level key opinion leaders in the podiatric space.”

This program came together very quickly through the leadership of the Pilot Core Team consisting of Derek Hurdle, Sr. Director Marketing, Steven Barringer , Director Commercial Operations, Averi Parris Director Sales Education, Greg Cottone, East AVP, and colleagues from Bioness including Mark Landman, Vice President Sales, Mark Geiger, Vice President Marketing, and Andy Veldkamp, Principle Product Manager StimRouter.

Also in attendance from Bioness were Jason Baruch and Garret Dwiggins, two Market Development Representatives, and Heidi Brewer and Tori Yohe, both Field Clinical Managers that work with surgeons for actual implantation of PNS products with patients.

“This group were a valuable resource and went above and beyond in coming to Durham to help with this program,” said Derek. “They are true professionals and it was great to have them along.”

The StimRouter pilot program will conclude after three months at which time results will be evaluated and shared as appropriate.