In 1851, a small Swiss company began producing collagen-based materials in Wolhusen. That company is Geistlich. What started as Switzerland's first glue factory grew, over more than a century and a half, into one of the most scientifically credentialed regenerative biomaterials companies in the world. Today, a Geistlich product is used every 14 seconds globally. More than 2,800 peer-reviewed publications underpin their product portfolio. That depth of evidence does not happen by accident.
Synchrocare distributes Geistlich products as part of its national specialty medical device portfolio, giving surgeons and healthcare facilities in the United States access to this technology through trained, compliant medical sales consultants.
Here is what orthopedic and sports medicine surgeons should know about what Geistlich brings to bone and cartilage regeneration.
Geistlich focuses on regenerative, minimally invasive methods and the development of products that support self-healing processes in the body.
Orthoss is Geistlich's bone graft substitute for orthopedic applications. It is bio-engineered to closely resemble the inorganic component of human bone tissue, with a unique pore structure that mirrors the architecture of natural bone. This internal structure gives Orthoss an inner surface area similar to that of autologous bone, which supports bone regeneration by providing an osteoconductive environment for cell ingrowth.
To repair bone defects, autografts are still widely considered the gold standard, but autografts carry documented risks, including donor site morbidity and limited availability. Orthoss provides an alternative that avoids those trade-offs, is available off the shelf in unlimited quantities, and comes in various sizes and formats. The product has a global history demonstrating safety across orthopedic indications, and has been validated in collaboration with surgeons across multiple clinical settings.
Cartilage repair built on a decade of evidence
Articular cartilage has a limited capacity to heal itself. Without adequate blood supply and with low chondrocyte mitogenic potential, cartilage defects left untreated progress over time and frequently lead to osteoarthritis. Geistlich developed Chondro-Gide to address this directly.
Chondro-Gide is a highly purified collagen membrane with a specifically engineered bilayer structure. The rough, porous bottom layer supports cell colonization and tissue ingrowth. The smooth, compact top layer faces the joint cavity and prevents progenitor cells from diffusing out of the defect site into the joint space, where they would be lost to the regeneration process. The membrane is biocompatible and fully resorbable, replaced by native tissue as healing progresses.
Used in the AMIC technique, Autologous Matrix-Induced Chondrogenesis, Chondro-Gide is applied over a bone marrow stimulation site to create a biological chamber that stabilizes the superclot and provides the conditions for new cartilage tissue to form. AMIC with Chondro-Gide is a single-step, minimally invasive procedure performable by mini-open or arthroscopic methods. Clinical applications include the knee, talus, hip, and first metatarsophalangeal joint.
More than ten years of clinical data support the effectiveness of Chondro-Gide in cartilage repair. A randomized controlled trial published in the International Orthopaedics journal demonstrated sustained benefit of AMIC over microfracture alone at five years. In a three-arm study of 47 patients, pain and function scores for the microfracture-only group deteriorated significantly after two years, while AMIC outcomes remained stable or improved. Geistlich Pharma data on file and published clinical studies.
Chondro-Gide has also received Breakthrough Device Designation from the US Food and Drug Administration, a recognition that the product addresses an unmet clinical need and offers new, more effective treatment options for patients with serious joint conditions.
A Swiss company with a global scientific foundation
Geistlich is a privately held, family-owned Swiss company that has been manufacturing biomaterials of the highest quality in Wolhusen since 1899. The company has 15 international affiliates and a large global distribution network. Its commitment to scientific rigor is formalized through three independent foundations: the Osteology Foundation in dentistry, the Osteo Science Foundation in North America, and the ON Foundation in orthopedics, all dedicated to independent research and education in regenerative medicine.
To learn more about Geistlich products available through Synchrocare, visit www.synchrocare.com.