Synergy Disc Replacement
Raising the Bar of Cervical Disc Replacement

Years ago, Dr. Neil Duggal, a surgeon and founder of Synergy Disc Replacement Inc. (SDRi), noticed that 50 percent of his symptomatic patients with degenerative disc replacement were without normal cervical lordosis. As a result, the implantation of an artificial disc implant would likely exacerbate their alignment issues, leading to neck pain or other issues. Additionally, multi-level cervical artificial disc replacement would often result in inadequate and unbalanced disc function, worsening with any slight error in the placement of the prosthesis.

As a surgeon who successfully performed the first cervical artificial disc replacement in North America, Duggal took it upon himself to find a solution to these problems and established SDRi. The company’s innovative and next-generation cervical disc raises the bar of artificial disc replacement through its unique design and novel geometry. The new geometry allows the device to restore proper alignment to the disc space, whilst preserving motion and is ideal for multi-level surgeries.

Many surgeons who have used the Synergy Disc® have validated that SDRi serves an unmet need in disc replacement technologies, namely restoration of cervical alignment. Articles published in various journals highlight the advancements of this technology over prior technologies as well as the positive clinical outcomes. “With the lordotic features in our implant, the surgeons could finally successfully treat the patients with pre-operative alignment issues, and they were extremely pleased with the results. Synergy Disc incorporates alignment features to recreate the normal cervical lordosis while restoring disc height and allowing motion,” extols Duggal. “Restoring proper alignment is part and parcel of every surgical procedure we do in the spine.”

For one, Synergy is the story of the coming together of a neurosurgeon and an engineer to solve the long-standing clinical problem. The company’s CEO, Josh Butters, is a medical device industry veteran specialized in developing and commercializing innovative technologies. “Synergy’s success also highlights what a strong partnership between Canadian and US talent can bring together as a combined force,” says Butters. “As a team, we are on a mission to expand the addressable patient population for cervical disc replacement by correcting and restoring sagittal alignment.”

Synergy Disc’s design is simple on the surface but reflects elegance. It has two titanium endplates and a central core component made of polyethylene, in which the SDRi team has constructed a novel geometry that separates the motion planes to better match the kinematics of cervical spine. The technology provides a low-energy position of the core to influence the spine segment’s disc angle when the patient is looking forward in a neutral posture. In the cervical spine, normal lordosis is roughly six degrees per level and accordingly the core has a built-in angle of six degrees to reproduce the normal alignment. Additionally, the disc has an optimized engagement mechanism with the vertebral body that provides secure fixation whilst minimizing the risk of heterotopic ossification.

With the lordotic features in our implant, the surgeons could finally successfully treat the patients with pre-operative alignment issues, and they were extremely pleased with the results

A prior generation of artificial disc implants attempted to solve lordosis by incorporating into the endplates of the prosthesis, however, the solution was in the core. Synergy’s “stability zone technology” and its artificial disc implant have garnered more than 55 issued worldwide patents. Unsurprisingly, SDRi’s disc is rapidly penetrating the spinal implant markets in Australia, Germany, and the United Kingdom. Clinically, SDRi’s success can be illustrated with an instance where a professional rugby player in Australia with a herniated spinal disc was treated successfully with Synergy Disc—a testament to the comprehensive safety profile of the device.

Currently operating in the European and Australian spinal implants markets, SDRi is excited about the opportunity to revolutionize the North American market. The company will be beginning its FDA clinical trial in Q4-2020 to seek approval in the US. In addition to Synergy Disc, the company is looking to bring new innovations to the outpatient surgery environment.