Aesculap Biologics
New Frontiers in Regenerative Medicine
Aesculap was founded in 1867 in Tuttlingen, Germany and has grown into the largest and one of the most respected manufacturers of surgical instruments in the world. Over the years, Aesculap has continued to evolve into a diversified healthcare corporation by focusing its expertise in the areas of orthopaedics, spinal implants, neurosurgery, vascular systems and sutures.
B. Braun acquired Aesculap in 1996. B. Braun is a private company which was founded in 1839 in Melsungen, Germany. It is one of the world's top ten diversified medical companies with revenues in excess of $4 Billion. Aesculap is the surgical division within the B. Braun family of companies.
In order to continue to bring innovative products to its customer base, Aesculap Biologics, LLC was established in January 2012 as a new company focused on biological approaches to the repair and regeneration of diseased or damaged tissues. Using a combination of cells, growth factors and smart biomaterial devices, Aesculap Biologics products are intended to stimulate and support the synthesis of new tissue and enhance the body’s own regenerative power.
Aesculap Biologics is currently conducting a Phase 3 clinical trial to bring NOVOCART® 3D to the U.S. from Europe, where it originated and has been implanted in more than 9,000 patients since 2003. NOVOCART 3D is a tissue engineered cell-based product designed to repair articular cartilage defects of the knee. Future Aesculap Biologics products under development will focus on a similar approach to treating back pain, the second most common neurological ailment in the US.
The development of regenerative products, such as NOVOCART 3D, requires a diverse range of expertise. Aesculap Biologics is comprised of a group of professionals with experience in cell and molecular biology, clinical trial management, cell-based product manufacturing, materials management, quality assurance and control, and regulatory affairs. Biologic approaches to tissue repair and regeneration represent the future in healthcare worldwide. Aesculap Biologics’ mission ensures that we will be ready for the challenge.
Medical Advisory Board
The medical advisory board serves as a key player in the development program for NOVOCART 3D. The board acts to ensure the needs of the surgical community are addressed and anticipated. Members of the board include:
Dr. William G. De Long, Jr., MD
William G. De Long, Jr., MD, is the Charles and Anna Kasych Chair of Orthopaedic Surgery and Chief of Orthopaedics at St. Luke’s University Health Network, as well as Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery, Anatomy and Cell Biology at Temple University School of Medicine.
A graduate of Temple University School of Medicine, Dr. De Long completed his orthopaedic surgery and research residencies at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. De Long joined St. Luke’s University Health Network in 2006 as Chief of Orthopaedics following a distinguished orthopaedic surgery career in Philadelphia that included serving as team physician for the Philadelphia Flyers. Under Dr. De Long’s leadership, St. Luke’s has grown its orthopaedic surgery practice from four employed physicians and one location to 15 employed physicians and eight locations. Dr. De Long also led the effort to establish St. Luke’s orthopaedic surgery residency program and serves as its Program Director.
Dr. De Long specializes in orthopaedic trauma and sports medicine and serves as team physician for the Lehigh Valley Steelhawks and the Parkettes National Gymnastic Training Center. A prolific author whose articles have been published in more than 50 peer-reviewed journals, he is a respected expert in the field of orthopaedic biogenics and the use of stem cells to accelerate bone growth and healing.
Outside of work, Dr. De Long is a competitive triathlete.
Dr. Andreas Gomoll
Dr. Gomoll is an Associate Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at Harvard Medical School and a member of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston.
Born and raised in Munich, Germany, he received his medical degree from Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, with additional training in Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery in Cape Town, South Africa, and the U.K. Dr. Gomoll completed a post-doctoral research fellowship at Brigham and Women’s Hospital before joining the Harvard Combined Orthopaedic Residency Program at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital.
Dr. Gomoll is fellowship-trained in Orthopaedic Sports Medicine (Rush University) and specializes in arthroscopy of the knee and shoulder, as well as ACL reconstruction, osteotomy, meniscus and cartilage transplantation.
He has lectured and published extensively on the topic of knee preservation through cartilage and meniscus transplantation.
Dr. Jason Koh
Dr. Jason Koh is an internationally known orthopaedic surgeon specializing in knee, shoulder, and elbow reconstruction. After graduating magna cum laude from Harvard, he attended medical school at Johns Hopkins. He then completed a surgical internship at Massachusetts General Hospital and his orthopaedic residency at the Hospital for Special Surgery, Cornell Medical School. His fellowship in sports medicine was at the Cleveland Clinic.
He is currently Endowed Board of Directors Chair of Orthopaedic Surgery at NorthShore University Health System and a Clinical Associate Professor at University of Chicago, Pritzker School of Medicine. He is the recipient of numerous awards, including the American Orthopaedic Association North American Traveling Fellowship, the American Association of Orthopaedic Surgery Leadership Fellowship and the Patellofemoral Foundation Traveling Fellowship.
He has served as visiting professor at multiple institutions and has lectured extensively across the world. He has written over 40 papers and book chapters and has made over 150 scientific presentations. His research has been recognized by the Richard O’Connor Award from the Arthroscopy Association of North America and the Charles Neer Award from the American Shoulder and Elbow Society.
He previously served as the Medical Director for the Joffrey Ballet as well as an orthopaedic consultant to the Chicago Cubs. Prior offices held include: President of the Northwestern Medical Faculty Senate and President of the Illinois Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons.
He maintains a busy clinical practice and is an investigator for several ongoing clinical trials. His peers have recognized him as a “Best Doctor” and one of America’s “Top Physicians.”
