Silicone breast-implant makers Polytech Health & Aesthetics and G&G Biotechnology are getting together in a stock-swap merger.
G&G designed the world’s first lightweight breast implant, the B-Lite, to reduce the impact of gravity on the reconstructed or augmented breast using technology developed by NASA to make its implants up to 30% lighter. The company sells its products in more than 30 countries, not including the U.S.
Plastic surgeon Dr. Jacky Govrin and his brother, biomedical engineer Dael Govreen-Segal, founded G&G in Haifa in 2005. Polytech, which makes 2,000 varieties of breast implants, brought the lightweight implant to market in 2013 for use in aesthetic and reconstructive plastic surgery. Polytech manufactures B-Lite implants at its facilities in Dieburg, Germany.
All breast implants are composed of a shell and a filler. The filler in traditional, heavy implants is either silicone gel or saline. B-Lite employs a cohesive, medical-grade, microsphere-enhanced silicone gel in a standard shell made by Polytech.
The spheres are inert, ultrapure, hollow, biocompatible microscopic orbs, which NASA uses widely as a light-but-robust filler material. Reducing the weight lessens the stress of the breast’s soft tissue and helps to create long-lasting results in the shape and appearance of the breasts, and reduces sagging, neck and back pain, according to Polytech. Breast movement during activity exacerbates the effect of weight which can cause discomfort and increase the stress and strain on the breast tissue.
The merger will give G&G more worldwide exposure, as Polytech markets its products in 75 countries.
“In the years of our cooperation, our two companies tested the ability to work together and created a culture of trust. Now, the merger is the next logical step to boost the competitiveness of both companies in the long run,” Polytech CEO Wolfgang Steimel said in prepared remarks. “Joining forces increases our competitive strength, broadens the product offering and innovation pipeline and brings real value to patients and surgeons.”
Privately held Polytech is also partnering with AMSilk GmbH in a clinical trial to safety test silk-coated silicone Silkline breast implants in Europe. The study, which started in February with several patients at a number of medical universities in Austria, may be extended to further European countries for comprehensive testing, Polytech said at the time.
