PRESS RELEASES

Contacts: Anthony G. Viscogliosi, Viscogliosi Bros, LLC (212) 583-9700 ext. 101
Nick Kilsby, Creative Partners (203) 705-9202

SMALL BONE INNOVATIONS, LLC STRENGTHENS ITS FIELD SALES MANAGEMENT TEAM WITH TWO EXPERIENCED ADDITIONS

New York, NY: June 7, 2005 - Small Bone Innovations, LLC (SBI), a Viscogliosi Bros., LLC (VB) portfolio company, has announced the recent addition of two experienced executives to its Sales Management Team, Jill Pflieger and Scott Ludecker.

Jill Pflieger joins SBI in the role of VP, Western Area Sales, responsible for SBI’s Western and Southwestern regions. She comes to SBI with 11 years of sales and marketing experience in the orthopedic small bone device market after a successful career at Kinetikos Medical, Inc. (KMI), the San Diego-based developer of small bone surgery products. Ms. Pflieger most recently held the position of VP, Sales and Marketing, International at KMI.

Scott Ludecker brings 14 years of sales, management and business development experience to Small Bone Innovations, LLC, where he has become VP, Eastern Area Sales, responsible for the Midwestern, Southeastern and Northeastern regions. Mr. Ludecker comes to SBI from UK-based Smith & Nephew, where he previously held the position of Director, Trauma Sales for the Northeast Division. Prior to Smith & Nephew, Scott held positions with Exogen, DePuy ACE and BIOMET.

SBI was formed in May 2004 and launched at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) Annual Meeting in February 2005 by Anthony, John and Marc Viscogliosi, Principals of VB, to develop and acquire technologies in the small bone & joint sector. In 2004, VB acquired Avanta Orthopaedics, Inc. and Envision Manufacturing, Inc., as well as worldwide licensing rights to market Biorthex, Inc.’s Actipore™ and Artimplant, AB’s Artelon® CMC-1 Spacer, two promising tissue technologies. In 2005, SBI also acquired Fixano, S.A. and Xtremi-T, LLC.

Anthony G. Viscogliosi, Chairman & CEO of SBI, said, “Adding two leaders as successful and well-respected in the orthopedics industry as Jill Pflieger and Scott Ludecker demonstrates SBI’s commitment to excellence. Jill’s storied career at KMI is truly impressive, and Scott’s accomplishments at Smith & Nephew are recognized industry-wide. I have every expectation that their contributions to SBI will be evident in the weeks and months to come.” Mr. Viscogliosi added, “When industry leaders like Ms. Pflieger and Mr. Ludecker make the decision to join SBI, we believe it should send very clear signals to the musculoskeletal/orthopedics industry that Small Bone Innovations, LLC is the present and the future of the small bone & joint market.”

President & COO of SBI, Michael J. Simpson, said, “We are thrilled to have Jill and Scott joining our team. Their impressive credentials, career accomplishments and industry experience will help propel SBI even further into the forefront of the small bone & joint field. The entire SBI family is fortunate to gain two such successful individuals.”

About SBI
Small Bone Innovations, LLC (SBI) was founded in 2004 by Viscogliosi Bros. LLC., (VB), the New York-based merchant banking firm that specializes in the musculoskeletal /orthopedic sector. VB created SBI as the first company to focus purely on small bone & joint science. By integrating established companies and professionals in the field, SBI today offers a broad, clinically proven portfolio of products and technologies to treat trauma and diseases in small bones & joints.

VB’s acquisitions and technology licenses include: Avanta Orthopaedics (hand/wrist/elbow arthroplasty and trauma products – USA); Envision (implant manufacturing – USA); Actipore™ (porous metal technology – Canada); Artelon ®(biologically active & biodegradable technology – Sweden); Xtremi-T (resorbable trauma technology – USA); Fixano, S.A. (orthopedics, trauma and spine products - France).

For more information on SBI visit: www.totalsmallbone.com

About Viscogliosi Bros., LLC
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 health care industry. Today, VB is a leading independent firm with a mission to create, build 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/orthopedic sector.

As principals of VB, the Viscogliosi brothers have a combined total of more than 35 years experience analyzing and investing in the musculoskeletal/orthopedics sector. The 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.
 
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