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Analysis of 1,804 Medicare beneficiaries per group demonstrates a meaningful shift in the continuum of care following intradiscal nucleus pulposus allograft procedure

MIAMI, June 05, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Vivex Biologics, a leader in developing and delivering innovative allografts, today announced the publication of a new real-world evidence study demonstrating that VIA Disc® NP significantly reduces opioid utilization, advanced imaging, physical therapy, and epidural steroid injections among Medicare beneficiaries with lumbar discogenic pain. The retrospective analysis of Medicare claims data comparing patients who received VIA Disc NP against those who received conservative care was published in the peer-reviewed, open-access Journal of Pain Research.

The study, titled, “Comparing Medicare Claims in Patients with Lumbar Discogenic Pain Managed Conservatively or with Intradiscal Nucleus Pulposus Allograft,” assessed Medicare claims between 2021 and 2024 and compared 1,804 patients with symptomatic degenerative disc disease (DDD) who received VIA Disc NP with 1,804 patients who received conservative care, including prescription opioids, epidural steroid injection, platelet rich plasma injection, and/or physical therapy. Data processing and analysis were performed independently by Inovalon (Bowie, MD), and patients were matched one-to-one on eight potential confounding variables, including age, gender, baseline comorbidity burden, and baseline chronic opioid therapy.

Based on this assessment, the study concluded that patients receiving VIA Disc NP demonstrated statistically significant reductions across multiple current standards of care. These included statistically significant reductions in opioid prescriptions (~20%; P=0.001) and total days' supply of opioids (~30%; P=0.001) in the 12 months following the NP allograft procedure, along with reduced imaging utilization (~40%; P=0.0001), driven largely by decreased use of magnetic resonance imaging (60%). Reductions were also seen in physical therapy (47%) and epidural steroid injections (44%).

Because degenerative disc disease typically progresses toward more invasive interventions, such as opioids, repeat imaging, injections, and surgery, this shift may help interrupt disease escalation, reduce unnecessary procedures, and delay or avoid surgery. Additionally, the need for surgical fusion remained low, with only approximately 6% of VIA Disc NP treated patients requiring this level of intervention.

“These data are highly encouraging as they represent a shift in how patients with lumbar discogenic pain receive care,” said George Girardi, MD (UCHealth, Fort Collins, CO). “Today, lower back pain caused by degenerative disc disease is not just a clinical challenge but is a leading driver of disability that places a significant burden on patients and communities alike, contributing to billions in healthcare costs and lost productivity. VIA Disc NP offers patients a minimally invasive option that may provide long-lasting reductions in pain and overall improvements in the quality of their lives.”

John A. McCallum, Vivex’s Executive Chairman, added, “Medicare spending exceeded $1.1 trillion in 2024 alone, accounting for roughly 21% of total U.S. healthcare expenditures, with lower back pain continuing to drive tens of billions of dollars in healthcare spending. These data further reinforce that VIA Disc NP may provide physicians a drug free, first-line option that improves quality of life for their patients and decreases the financial burden on the U.S. healthcare system.”

VIA Disc NP is a sterilized nucleus pulposus allograft collected from human donor intervertebral disc tissue and involves minimally invasive delivery in an outpatient procedure requiring only light sedation.

For more information on Vivex and its innovative solutions, visit www.vivex.com. For more information on VIA Disc NP, visit www.viadiscnp.com.

About Vivex Biologics, Inc.
Vivex is a leading medical technology company focused on the science, development and commercialization of advanced therapies for the regeneration, restoration and repair of the body. Its current therapies help patients suffering from chronic lower back pain, musculoskeletal injuries, wounds and burns. By leveraging its robust and proven R&D capabilities and corporate infrastructure, Vivex seeks to continue to channel the body’s inherent healing qualities to provide patients optimal care and medical professionals with innovative treatment options for a broad range of indications.

Media Contact
Kathryn Larson, VP of Marketing
klarson@vivex.com