Ascension Orthopedics

About Ascension Orthopedics

Ascension Orthopedics, Inc. was a medical device company founded in Austin, Texas, in 1992 that developed and manufactured surgical implants for the upper and lower extremities. The company's first product was a pyrolytic carbon total joint replacement for the metacarpophalangeal joint of the hand. Its product line expanded to include implants for the shoulder, elbow, wrist, hand, foot, and ankle, which it sold in the United States and over 20 other countries.

The company raised $49.2 million over five funding rounds, including a $21 million Series D round in 2008 led by Frazier Healthcare Ventures. On September 26, 2011, Integra LifeSciences Holdings Corporation acquired Ascension Orthopedics for $65 million. The acquisition was intended to expand Integra's presence in the extremities market by adding Ascension's upper extremity and shoulder portfolio. At the time of the acquisition, Ascension's annual revenue was approximately $19 million.

Through a series of subsequent acquisitions in the orthopedic industry, the assets of Ascension Orthopedics have been integrated into larger corporations. Integra LifeSciences' extremities business, which included the former Ascension products, was part of a complex series of mergers and acquisitions involving Tornier N.V., Wright Medical Group N.V., and ultimately Stryker Corporation. Wright Medical merged with Tornier in 2015, and the combined company was later acquired by Stryker in November 2020.