Lanx Spine - Midwest


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Id like to know as well. I'm in the NE and have an opportunity. Other than the Aspen is anything else unique? How is their name recognition among Spine Surgeons?
Thanks.
 




This company is a complete disaster. They have brought in some new managers that were fired from their old jobs and the ship is sinking fast.

They have ZERO unique products. Both Medtronic and Nuvasive have spinous process fixation devices. Bottom line - no relationships, no Lanx products in the hospitals.

This is a complete me-too company. Google the company and read the bloggers posts about them. It's a sinking ship. They lure people in with chocolates and stock options (ok, maybe not the chocolates) and talk about going public this year. Well, reps have been told that Lanx will not go public until 2012 because the numbers are so bad.
 




the above poster sounds bitter....
I do not work for Lanx but i heard their Aspen is a great device and is about the only real "game-changer" they have. But at least they have something that appeals to the masses. They are not on the level of MDT but who is? When it comes to Spine, a screw is a screw and a rod is a rod, sometimes all you need is that one product to separate yourself, in comes in Aspen.... not drinking the kool aid here, i do not even work in spine, just the word on the street......
 




the above poster sounds bitter....
I do not work for Lanx but i heard their Aspen is a great device and is about the only real "game-changer" they have. But at least they have something that appeals to the masses. They are not on the level of MDT but who is? When it comes to Spine, a screw is a screw and a rod is a rod, sometimes all you need is that one product to separate yourself, in comes in Aspen.... not drinking the kool aid here, i do not even work in spine, just the word on the street......

It's obvious that you don't work in spine. Medtronic has the same product as the Aspen. In fact, Aspen was given a 510(K) off of the OLD Medtronic spire plate. Now Medtronic has a newer version. Aspen is hardly a game changer - it's another me-too.

The above poster isn't bitter, he/she is just a realist. Do some research on the company and you will see a huge amount of turnover on the management side as well as the rep side. They even fired 8 marketing people last month.

Bottom line - Lanx, No thanks.
 




thanks for the feedback. I just heard from a few people in the field mention that the Aspen was a good product, that's all. Do not really know much about the company in regards to turnover, management, etc.

i'll check out the MDT site for their new motion preservation device.

Currently in Sports Med would love the opportunity to one day work in spine (the pathology, anatomy and devices I find interesting.) Any recommendations on Spine companies that you'd want a long term opportunity with? I am aware that Medtronic even thou reported losses in Spine are still the 400 lb. Gorilla in the field but are there any other players worth taking a look at?

Thanks
 




The Aspen is not a motion preservation device - it is indicated for fusion.

In this day and age, you better make sure that whatever company you are looking at has contracts at the hospitals.

Hospitals are starting to low-ball companies and lock out those that aren't meeting the contract pricing.
 








Thanks guys/gals. I appreciate the feedback, very helpful. Any other insight about the Spine market? tips on getting in from Sports Med? Solid Recruiters/contacts? I have a year in as an associate rep and I do not see a territory opening up in my area any time soon and would like to pursue an opportunity in the Spine world.
 
















I am a VP in spine, and have been in the business for 15 years. Lanx is a waste of time. Sinking fast. Globus and Nuvasive are gaining market share from Medtronic and DuPuy.
 




I am a VP in spine, and have been in the business for 15 years. Lanx is a waste of time. Sinking fast. Globus and Nuvasive are gaining market share from Medtronic and DuPuy.

You would think a VP in spine would be more in touch with the market, Globus has little market share and the only market share they are getting is from paying their docs. And what little money they have left over they spend on massive guarantees to trick reps into coming over. I agree that Medtronic/Dupuy is losing market share, but it's to POD's not to Globus. They are a shit company with shittie products that buy all their business! Nuvasive has one product worth a damn, XLIF, and every company is coming out with a Lateral System and XLIF is twice the price of everything else so their market share is ever diminishing. If it were me I'd look to a company like K2M, just acquired by Welsh Carson and looked at as the next up and coming company. The difference between K2M and the other company's is truly unique IP, not saying they are a medtronic but just keep your eye on them they are gaining ground in the eyes of surgeons
 




Back to the original post, LANX has no presence in the Midwest. I think they did something great with the ASPEN product, but reimbursement and surgeon adoption have put a huge hamper on their growth. Management in the Mid West is an issue too. They hired a manager from Globus who shouldn't have been a manager in his previous role and the reps are leaving. The bottom line- they don't have any surgeon advocates to leverage from, which means you're going nowhere.
Not to get off topic, but we are seeing more Globus in the Mid West. Products are decent and it seems that they finally have some decent representation/management and are gaining traction. Medtronic still dominates- but like most companies in this space, they are not innovating and price is commanding change.
 








Currently in Sports Med would love the opportunity to one day work in spine (the pathology, anatomy and devices I find interesting.) Any recommendations on Spine companies that you'd want a long term opportunity with? I am aware that Medtronic even thou reported losses in Spine are still the 400 lb. Gorilla in the field but are there any other players worth taking a look at?

I've been in spine for about half a year. I had no idea what it was like, and am with you on the anatomy and the cool devices. I will say, the sales side is horrible, this isn't a typical sales role. Contract is huge as people said, but that's the case with every product now, at least in my last territory. I had doctors that wanted to use products and material managers telling me to jump and didn't give a rats ass who wanted the product, if it was on their contract sure, no problem.

PODs, I HATE THEM! Really messed up shady business deals going on, if you need to start an LLC or similar overseas through another company that should be scare a doc away, but the money is too good in their eyes. I give PODs a year or two before they get reamed. Spine is very difficult to sell, if you get in you'll find this to be true and that certain doctors won't see anyone, because they're in a POD.


Upcoming companies in my opinion are Amedica(amazing product, but doctors are too scared to step out of their comfort zone), Lanx, I watched the Aspen get implanted, fast, solid, great stuff, Nuvasive, only for the XLIF as others mentioned. I see MDT trying to scoop up NuVasive in the near future. Amedica is working on hips and other Recon products so you'll see them gaining ground fast over the next few years, they also purchased US Spine, solid stuff there too, trays and instrumentation is awesome, but nothing ground breaking.
 








As a former employee of Lanx, I can tell you they treat their employees like crap!! They have the allure of a multi-million dollar company with there stock options and clean facility. But the reality is that it is a classic case of corporate america with too many "Chiefs" and not enough "indians". Seems like no one really knows who is really running the company.
I am just waiting for them to go public, so I can cash out my stocks I bought with them, and try and forget about the horrible experience of working for a company, where you really are no more vauluable to them than just another piece of equipment on the floor!!!
 




Waiting to cash in your shares??? Get out, stock is so diluted and so many preferred who will get paid first you will get NOTHING! Company has been leveraged to the hilt, and run into the ground