MedTech innovator award

Johnson & Johnson Quickfire challenge award

DEKRA ISO 13485 Certification

EIC Accelerator € 2.5M grant

FDA Breakthrough Device

See our pitch at the MedTech Strategist in San Diego, USA

MedTech Strategist 2024

Meet us at The Meniscus Congress 2025 in Berlin.

The Meniscus Congress 2025

Helping people who still have pain despite meniscus surgery. That goal formed the basis of ATRO Medical, when the company was founded in 2016 by Dr. Tony van Tienen. 

Many patients experience less pain after meniscus removal, but around 20% continue to have severe pain. Years of research have led to the first Dutch people now walking around with our artificial meniscus. And they are experiencing much less pain. That is unique in the world. 

Such a wonderful new development deserves a powerful name!

For those pa2ents with severe pain, we designed our artificial meniscus. This implant provides painrelief and restores quality of life. The new name of this beautiful product? That is the Arvmis®

Meniscus Prosthesis. A name that means a lot to us, in two important ways.

- Artimis® is an acronym for Artificial Meniscus

- Artimis® is based on the Greek goddess Artemis. She was the goddess of the hunt and the

moon. And let the meniscus be known early on as “half-moon-shaped cartilage”.

The new name is a symbolic step for us. We are heralding a new era with it. With this name, we want to give worldwide recognition to the innovation in the field of meniscus. This name ensures beier recognition among pa2ents. That gives us the opportunity to help even more people to relief their pain.

This step also means saying goodbye to the name ‘Trammpolin’. Trammpolin was the abbreviation for the original BioMedical Materials program, in which the first prototype of the artificial meniscus was developed. Radboudumc and DSM were important participants, among others. They are now shareholders in ATRO Medical. ReumaNederland has also supported us from the start of the project and is still an important partner to our ATRO team.

Are we ready to go to market with this new name? Not yet. In the next step, we will conduct more clinical research on the Artimis® Meniscus Prosthesis. Would you like more information about the next study, or would you like to participate? 

Subscribe to our newsletter below to stay informed on the progress of Artimis®.

Artimis®: the new name for the world’s first artificial meniscus

Artimis: New name for our artificial meniscus

ATRO Medical launches unique meniscus research

As the first company worldwide, ATRO Medical will initiate a clinical trial to investigate the functioning of a lateral artificial meniscus. For the first time ever, an absent meniscus in the outer part of the knee will be replaced by an artificial meniscus, the Artimis® Meniscus Prosthesis. As of September 2024, there is room for sixteen patients in the EARTH study. The study will be conducted at the Radboud University Medical Center in Nijmegen under supervision of orthoapedic surgeon Dr. van de Groes.

ATRO Medical and Radboudumc are proud of this premiere. The study ion the lateral meniscus prosthesis investigates its safety and effectiveness. The Nijmegen company wants to demonstrate that this procedure leads to substantial pain reduction in patients with chronic knee pain. Patients who have previously had the meniscus (or part of it) removed run the risk of chronic knee pain, so-called post-meniscectomy pain. Thousands of patients in the Netherlands suffer from this. And for only a few, a surgical solution is applicable.

ATRO Medical's innovation brings back the shock-absorbing effect of the natural meniscus in the knee. The implant is made of polycarbonate urethane (PCU), a material that is known in the medical world for its safe application. It is used in orthopaedics and cardiac surgery. This material is durable and safe for use in the human body. The meniscus prosthesis is implanted via tiny incisions. This is a familiar procedure for sports medicine surgeons. The entire procedure takes less than an hour.

Two years of supervision via the EARTH study

In the EARTH study, patients are operated on at the Radboudumc and then rehabilitate under the supervision of a physiotherapist. They are monitored for two years by the orthopaedic research group, to be certain about the functioning of Artimis®. The meniscus prosthesis is only available via this study.

Are you interested in participating in the EARTH study? Please register on our Dutch research page (onderzoek). Registration can only be done in Dutch. Our apologies, but that is a study requirement. 

This research is co-funded by the European Union.

Are you curious about this clinical trial and its results? Subscribe to our newsletter below! (in English)

As the first company worldwide, ATRO Medical will start a clinical trial on a lateral artificial meniscus. For the first time ever, an absent meniscus in the outer part of the knee will be replaced by an artificial meniscus, the Artimis® Meniscus Prosthesis. The study will be conducted at the Radboud University Medical Center in Nijmegen.

CAUTION: Artimis® has not yet been approved by regulatory authorities for commercial sale and may only be used in a clinical study. Moreover, by contacting a participating hospital for an appointment you show your interest in participating in the AIR2 study. Other factors may exclude you from participation; only the orthopaedic surgeon who performs the examination will determine your final suitability.

The AIR2 study is registered in a clinical study database at Dutch TrialRegister under number NL9805.

The Artimis® meniscus prosthesis is an anatomically shaped, non-biodegradable polymer implant designed to mimic the function of the natural medial meniscus by functioning as a shock absorber within the knee joint. The Artimis® meniscus prosthesis is implanted by an arthroscopic procedure with a specific surgical instrument set to determine correct meniscus prosthesis size and facilitate proper placement of the meniscus prosthesis.

This procedure is intended for people between 18-70 years of age with persistent knee pain in the medial compartment, who underwent a meniscectomy more than 6 months ago. In addition, patients have limited cartilage damage (less than grade IV modified Outerbridge scale) and a nearly straight leg axis. For a complete set of inclusion/exclusion criteria clinical study (AIR study), see the study at the Dutch TrialRegister under number NL9805 The trial is also registered at www.ClinicalTrials.gov under number NCT05297175

This clinical study is initiated in October 2021 to enroll 14 patients at select medical centers in the Netherlands. The study is full and can no longer accept new participants. The clinical study is approved by the Dutch government (Dutch Health and Youth Care Inspectorate) and Medical Research Ethics Committee.

AIR2 study meniscus

AIR2 study information

Each year, more than 1.2 million American and European patients lose their meniscus due to injury. Many incidents result from sports activities, such as soccer and other contact sports. More than 200,000 patients are left with such a painful knee that they can no longer play sports and sometimes even have to stop working. Only 5 percent of these patients benefit from surgery. The pain of the remaining patients can sometimes be relieved temporarily, but no permanent solution is available for them.

A meniscal prosthesis can restore shock absorption in the knee to relieve pain and increase the patient's quality of life. ATRO Medical is currently clinically evaluating a standard implant, which is available in five sizes. The next step is a more personalized solution, based on the patient's own anatomy. With the latest developments in imaging techniques, artificial intelligence and 3D printing, this option is actually becoming possible.

The 3PPP project should provide evidence that AI-based meniscus modeling of MRI images, including the development of the surgical procedure and tools needed, does indeed work (proof of principle). All aspects will be verified in the testing facilities of the Orthopaedic Research Lab of the Department of Orthopedics at the Radboudumc, bringing this technology close to clinical introduction. Maarten van der Zanden, CIO of ATRO Medical: "We are very pleased with the expansion of our collaboration and with the opportunity to discover how AI can be used for knee patients with meniscus problems."

A study of ATRO Medical's first artificial meniscus is currently underway in the Netherlands with 14 patients in three clinics. 3PPP is a two-year SME project, co-funded by Health~Holland, Top Sector Life Sciences & Health, to stimulate public-private partnerships.

The Orthopaedic Research Laboratory (ORL) of Radboudumc starts a new project with ATRO Medical: 3D-Printed PCU meniscus Prosthesis (3PPP). 3PPP combines the latest developments in sports medicine with the strength of AI. The durable meniscus prosthesis of ATRO Medical will be designed in 3D based on artificial intelligence, developed by the Orthopaedic Research Lab. Thanks to this technology, a scan of the healthy meniscus in one leg can be used to create a meniscus solution for the affected leg. In this way, the side with a lacking meniscus causing severe knee pain can receive a new shock absorber, molded to the individual patient.

Radboudumc and ATRO Medical start research on AI-generated artificial meniscus.

Introduction to ATRO Medical

Introduction to ATRO Medical - The Meniscus Company

The US Food & Drug Administration identifies the Trammpolin® meniscus prosthesis as a unique and potentially more effective treatment for knee osteoarthritis patients with a deficient meniscus. At the moment there is no effective treatment available for a large group of these patients.

CEO Jan Hunik is excited to receive the Breakthrough Device Designation: “We still have quite some work to do before we can access the US market and obtain the CE mark for the European market. This designation endorses our conviction that the Trammpolin meniscus prosthesis can make an important impact on the lives of patients suffering from chronic knee pain. We look forward to the more intense collaboration with the FDA and are confident that this will expedite our US timelines.”

The goal of the Breakthrough Device Designation program is to provide patients and their health care providers with timely access to effective medical innovations. The designation ensures a predictable and timely assessment by the FDA. The Trammpolin meniscus prosthesis will have priority in upcoming FDA reviews. The FDA will also give more transparency with respect to the required data for market access of ATRO Medical’s meniscus implant.

Knee Osteoarthritis (KOA) is an irreversibly debilitating disease and is one of the leading causes of disability in Europe and the US. The Trammpolin meniscus prosthesis is a durable anatomically shaped implant that aims to reduce knee pain and restore mobility. Trammpolin is currently being assessed in a first clinical study in the Netherlands. A next study will most likely include clinics in other European countries as well as the United States. ATRO Medical is largely financed by venture capital and is expected to organize a next investment round (Series B) in 2021 to further accelerate its path to the EU and US market.

About ATRO Medical
ATRO Medical is a spin-out from DSM and Radboudumc with offices in Nijmegen and Uden (NL). The company builds on the knowledge developed in the Public-Private Collaboration BioMedical Materials (BMM) that started in 2010 with a consortium of universities, companies and financial support from the Dutch government. The collaboration between the clinical, biomechanical and polymer experts has led to the development of the Trammpolin Meniscus Prosthesis and the foundation of ATRO Medical in 2016. More information can be found on www.atromedical.com.

Maarten van der Zanden, Market Development manager
T: +316 3735 3787 E: maarten.vanderzanden@atromedical.com

**Trammpolin® is nowadays known as Artimis®

Dutch medical innovations are rarely granted the Breakthrough Designation by the FDA. Startup ATRO Medical from Nijmegen is the new kid on the block in orthopedics. This week their Trammpolin® meniscus prosthesis (nowadays known as Artimis®), designed to treat chronic knee pain, received the Breakthrough Device Designation from the FDA. The designation demonstrates the innovation potential of this implant and expedites US market access by receiving a priority treatment at the FDA.

Dutch meniscus prosthesis receives FDA Breakthrough Device Designation

Knee osteoarthritis is one of the leading causes of disability worldwide. Loss of meniscus tissue in the younger years can accelerate this disease, leading to complaints such as severe chronic knee pain, stiffness and immobility. Many patients finally end up with a total knee replacement. The Dutch orthopedic startup ATRO Medical has the mission to create a solution for the long, painful period before total knee replacement.

A durable meniscus prosthesis can serve as a new damper in the knee, reducing bone to bone impacts and as such relief pain in the knee joint. An implant for the inner side of the knee joint is currently in clinical research after ten years of development. However, a solution for the outer knee compartment is still missing. Since forty percentage of complaints are apparent in this so- called lateral compartment, many patients would benefit from it.

The consortium of ATRO Medical, the Swiss company Samaplast and the Orthopaedic Research Laboratory (ORL) of the Radboud university medical center receives over € 800,000 EUROSTARS funding as part of a total investment of € 2 million to rapidly change this situation. The team is committed to develop a new meniscus prosthesis for the outer knee compartment and have it ready for a clinical trial within just two years’ time. Both the durable solution for the outer knee compartment and the short development time would be unique in the orthopedic society.

The ORL has been involved in meniscus research for many years as biomechanical expert and was part of the team developing the IP for this innovation. Samaplast is specialized in injection molding of high-precision and medical grade products out of plastic. ATRO Medical is a spin-off from the Radboud university medical center and DSM Biomedical and focuses on the design of durable meniscus prostheses. These three parties together have the required expertise to bring the new meniscus prosthesis to life with EUROSTARS funding.

EUROSTARS supports international innovative projects led by R&D performing SMEs such as ATRO Medical, that help improve the daily lives of people around the world. This EU program aims to bring increased value to the economy, higher growth and more job opportunities.

ATRO Medical is a spin-out from DSM and Radboud University Medical Center with offices in Nijmegen and Uden (NL). The company builds on the knowledge developed in the Public-Private Collaboration BioMedical Materials (BMM) that started in 2010 with a consortium of universities, companies and financial support from the Dutch government. The collaboration between the clinical, biomechanical and polymer experts has led to the development of the Trammpolin® Meniscus Prosthesis (nowadays known as Artimis™), and the foundation of ATRO Medical in 2016. More information can be found on www.atromedical.com.

An international consortium led by the Dutch med-tech startup ATRO Medical receives over € 800,000 EUROSTARS funding to address an unmet need for Knee Osteoarthritis patients. These patients often suffer from cartilage degradation related to a dysfunctional meniscus. Based on previous research, the consortium will develop a durable meniscus prosthesis for the outer knee compartment to relief pain and restore mobility. This would change the life of thousands of osteoarthritis patients.

EUROSTARS grants funding for first lateral meniscus prosthesis

What a great recognition for our team of the potential benefit that our meniscus prosthesis may have for Veterans. The incidence of knee osteoarthritis is known to be 10 times higher under military personnel compared to civilians. This is highly correlated to meniscus damage. And almost 20% of those who need surgical meniscus repair will leave the army within 2.5 years.

We would be honored if our Trammpolin® Meniscus Prosthesis could play a part in providing pain relief for these veterans. Besides the recognition, this award comes with grant funding, which will be spent on accelerating the development of the lateral meniscus prosthesis.

The lateral (outside) compartment of the knee joint is known for its’ fast cartilage degradation in a meniscus- deficient knee. It is of utmost importance to provide an early surgical solution for this lateral side since the severity of complaints and disease related health costs increase with ongoing cartilage degradation.

The Dutch startup ATRO Medical is entirely focused on creating a durable solution for patients suffering from the post-meniscectomy pain syndrome. Their meniscus prosthesis under development has already received FDA breakthrough device designation, the EU Seal of Excellence and the MedTech Innovator finalist award by AdvaMed. Their medial prosthesis is currently under investigation in a prospective clinical study in the Netherlands.

1.DOI 10.7205/MILMED-D-15-00589 2.DOI 10.1177/0363546515612076 3.DOI 10.1002/acr.22412

Yess!! ATRO Medical has been named an Awardee in the Veterans Lead QuickFire Challenge organized by Johnson & Johnson Innovation!

ATRO Medical Named Awardee in the Johnson & Johnson Innovation Veterans Lead QuickFire Challenge

10 years ago, the Dutch Arthritis Society has invested in new materials for the research done by Radboud University Medical Center. Which changed the positioning of the health fund together with diverse universities and royal DSM to the upfront of new approach of Polycarbonate Urethan. Which the startup ATRO Medical originated in 2017, located on the Novio Tech campus in Nijmegen, The Netherlands. From there on out the accumulated scientifical knowledge was further developed into an applicable prothesis. 

Jan Hunik, CEO of ATRO Medical: ‘’ Since 2019 the meniscus prosthesis has been used in clinical study with the first patients. The second clinical trial starts in 2021 with a couple of Dutch hospitals. The trials must lead to CE marking of the unique prosthesis especially due to the knowledge provided by Dutch Arthritis Society, which makes this innovation available for European patients.’’

The artificial meniscus prosthesis is meant for patients with knee arthritis. With many of these patients their meniscus was partially removed, or they’re experiencing chronic pain due to knee wear. The meniscus prosthesis offers this group of patients an alternative for the current policies such as pain medication, physiotherapy and the wait to being considered for a total knee replacement. 

Corné Baatenburg de Jong of The Dutch Arthritis Society explains: ‘’It is nice to see that a development throughout the years has eventually been integrated by a team such the one of ATRO Medical and turned it into a new procedure for the patient. They work hard to improve the quality of knee arthritis patients with the use of the meniscus prosthesis. During the implementation, we as organization can support this. We know the way through the path. And thanks to the big patient participation at The Dutch Arthritis Society, we can make sure that their voices are heard. This guarantees that the development fits the patients’ expectations.  

ATRO Medical is a spin-off of DSM & Radboud University Medical Center with offices in Nijmegen & Uden (NL). The startup builds further on knowledge from the public-privates collaboration BioMedical Materials (BMM), started in 2010 as a consortium of universities and companies with financial support of the Dutch government. The collaboration between clinical, biomechanical & polymer-experts which led to development of the Meniscus Prosthesis and establishment of ATRO Medical in 2016. The first clinical study started in 2019. More information can be found on www.atromedical.com

Maarten van der Zanden,  CIO & Market Development manager
T: +316 3735 3787 E: maarten.vanderzanden@atromedical.com

Orthopedic startup ATRO Medical enters a partnership together with the Dutch Arthritis Society for further development of the artificial meniscus. The Dutch startup works on a meniscus prosthesis for people with knee arthritis. The Dutch Arthritis Society supports these developments and shares its experience as patient expert in the field of arthritis. 

The Dutch Arthritis Society supports further development of the meniscus prosthesis of ATRO Medical

The EIC Accelerator program is the most important instrument of the European Commission to support promising healthcare innovations. The program aims to develop and scale up game changing innovations. The EIC Accelerator grant provides access to an investment by the EIC Fund, coordinated by the European Commission and particularly used to bridge the funding gap between market entry and scale up.

The € 2.5 million grant will be spent on accelerating pre-clinical testing of the meniscus prostheses, on health economic analyses and international clinical studies. All efforts combined will fast-track the implementation of this Dutch healthcare innovation. ATRO Medical is the first company worldwide to have solutions for both the inner and outer meniscus close to the clinical stage.

Thousands of patients suffering from chronic knee pain are waiting for these solutions. Their meniscus has been removed as a result of an earlier trauma and they have developed the so-called post-meniscectomy pain syndrome. Orthopedic surgeon and Chief Medical Officer Dr. Tony van Tienen explains, “I see many patients with chronic knee pain in my clinical practice. Most of them are too young for a total knee replacement. However, they should be able to go to work, go shopping or simply walk their dog without constantly being bothered by an aching knee. Our artificial meniscus aims to relieve that pain. Pain free mobility, that is what we strive for.”

ATRO Medical has already received several international recognitions for their thought-leading work like FDA breakthrough device designation, Eurostars funding and the Johnson & Johnson Quickfire award. In the next few years, the company will leverage these endorsements and funds to significantly expand their clinical evidence and achieve market registration. Together with partners like the Dutch Arthritis Society, the Orthopaedic Research Laboratory and international clinics such as the Sint Maartenskliniek, Mayo Clinic and Sporthopaedicum Berlin they are confident to succeed.

The European Commission grants € 2.5 million to ATRO Medical for the accelerated development of their artificial meniscus. The Dutch startup works on the first anatomical meniscus prostheses for patients with chronic knee pain. Their ground-breaking innovation continues to attract international attention, paving the way towards full-scale healthcare implementation.

Meniscus prosthesis receives € 2.5 million EU grant

The Artimis® meniscus prosthesis is an investigational implant designed for patients who suffer from persistent knee pain at the medial side of the knee, which is caused by partial or sub-total meniscectomy.

Artimis® meniscus prosthesis study

 Both studies investigate if the Artimis® meniscus prosthesis is safe and provides pain relief to the side of the knee where meniscal tissue had previously been removed.

Lateral Meniscus:  EARTH study open for inclusions

This clinical study is initiated in October 2024 to enroll 10 patients at the Radboud university medical center in the Netherlands. This study focuses on the lateral meniscus on the outerside of the knee. The clinical study is approved by the Dutch government (Dutch Health and Youth Care Inspectorate) and Medical Research Ethics Committee. More information can be found below.

This study is open to Dutch speaking individuals only, since questionnaires are in Dutch. Please switch to our Dutch site for more information. 

Medial Meniscus: The AIR2 study is fully enrolled 

This clinical study is initiated in October 2021 to enroll 14 patients at select medical centers in the Netherlands. This study focuses on the medial meniscus on the inner side of the knee. The clinical study is approved by the Dutch government (Dutch Health and Youth Care Inspectorate) and Medical Research Ethics Committee. More information can be found in the knowledge base article AIR2 study information.

ATRO Medical is conducting two studies: the EARTH study on the lateral Artimis® meniscus prosthesis (open for inclusions) and the AIR2 study on the medial one (fully enrolled).

Ongoing clinical research: take part!

The EARTH study is co-funded by the European Union

Do you have any questions, requests for advice or interest in the background of Artimis®? Contact us using the form on the right, and we’ll answer your questions as soon as possible.

Artimis® meniscus prosthesis study

Ongoing clinical research: take part!

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