OVERVIEW

Established by Marc R. Viscogliosi, John J. Viscogliosi and Anthony G. Viscogliosi in New York City in 1999, VB was the first venture capital/private equity and merchant banking firm dedicated to the musculoskeletal/orthopedics sector of the healthcare industry. Today, VB is a leading independent firm, with a mission: to create, build, operate and finance companies founded on innovations, developed by surgeons, and uniquely focused on “life changing” musculoskeletal/orthopedic technologies. VB has worldwide surgeon, industry and trade relationships and significant financial expertise in the musculoskeletal/orthopedics sector.

The principals of VB, Anthony, John and Marc Viscogliosi, have a combined total of more than 35 years experience analyzing and investing in the musculoskeletal/orthopedics sector. They have pioneered innovative financial, strategic, and management initiatives for companies in the sector, from start-up, seed and development stage all the way to exit, while helping thousands of people lead better lives through the orthopedic and spinal products marketed and sold by the companies they have assisted in developing and financing.

Since inception, VB has led or participated in more than 40 transactions in the musculoskeletal/orthopedics industry. VB has sponsored five venture capital and single purpose investment vehicles and, in January 2004, funded Orthopedic Investment Partners, LP with US$2 million, the first hedge fund dedicated exclusively to investing in publicly traded medical device companies with a primary focus on musculoskeletal companies. The investors in the venture capital and single purpose funds taken together consist of more than 140 leading orthopedic and neurosurgeons, product distributors and musculoskeletal industry personnel.

In 1999, VB and Aesculap AG & Co. KG (“Aesculap”), a subsidiary of B Braun Melsungen AG, jointly created Spine Solutions, Inc. to market the ProDisc, a total artificial disc replacement system originally developed by Dr. Thierry Marnay of France. Under the terms of the joint venture, Aesculap contributed the patents and related intellectual property rights for the ProDisc to Spine Solutions and VB was responsible for hiring the senior management team, providing corporate development assistance, and raising financing to fund the operations of the company. Spine Solutions, Inc. was sold to Synthes-Stratec, Inc. in April 2004 for up to $350 million in cash. The purchase price consisted of an initial cash payment of $175 million with additional further consideration of up to $175 million depending upon the achievement of certain regulatory milestones.