For a younger, active patient facing the prospect of a total hip replacement, the calculus is often grim. The procedure offers relief from pain, but it trades one problem for another: the removal of a significant amount of bone, a lifetime of activity restrictions, and the near-certainty of a more complex revision surgery. It is a trade-off that has kept the niche field of hip resurfacing alive for decades. Now, a UK-based medical device maker, JointMedica, is pushing a new iteration of that technology through the rigorous gauntlet of US regulatory review, with the first patient in its pivotal study already on the books [JointMedica, 2026].
A Next-Generation Bet on Bone Preservation
JointMedica’s flagship product is the Polymotion Hip Resurfacing (PHR) System. The device aims to address the historical shortcomings of metal-on-metal resurfacing implants. The company positions the Polymotion system as a next-generation design, leveraging decades of collective experience from the lineage of the Birmingham Hip Resurfacing (BHR) [The Silicon Review]. The clinical bet is that by improving bearing surfaces and wear characteristics, they can offer a durable, bone-conserving option for a specific patient population: typically male, under 60, and highly active [JointMedica].
The Path Through the FDA
The company’s most significant recent milestone is the initiation of a US Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) study, a necessary step to gather clinical data for a Premarket Approval (PMA) application. The study, which received FDA Breakthrough Device designation in 2022, began enrolling patients in February 2025 [grossortho.com, 2026]. The first surgical procedure using the Polymotion system under the IDE protocol was completed on January 22, 2025 [JointMedica, 2026]. By June 2025, the study had reached 30% of its target enrollment [JointMedica, 2025].
Leadership and the Exactech Partnership
Driving this effort is a leadership team with deep roots in orthopaedics. Dr. Sharat Kusuma, the company’s CEO and President, is an orthopaedic surgeon who previously held leadership roles at industry giants Zimmer Biomet and Exactech [The Silicon Review]. The chairman, Terence Steffen, is described as an orthopaedic implant design entrepreneur and investor [JointMedica].
A key strategic element is JointMedica’s partnership with Exactech. In January 2022, Exactech led an undisclosed corporate investment round, taking a minority stake in JointMedica [Crunchbase, Jan 2022]. The relationship extends beyond capital to a distribution and co-development agreement, with Exactech handling commercialization and surgical education for the Polymotion system in certain markets [BusinessWire, Jan 2023].
The Competitive and Commercial Landscape
JointMedica operates in a specialized corner of the orthopaedic market. The company’s estimated turnover sits at £1.4 million as of March 2024, with net assets estimated at £16.6 million [Pomanda, Mar 2024]. Its valuation is modeled between £0 and £38.1 million [Pomanda, Mar 2024].
The risks here are well-defined and substantial. The clinical and regulatory path is long, expensive, and uncertain. Success in the IDE study is not guaranteed, and even with positive data, FDA approval is a separate hurdle. Furthermore, the company must convince a generation of surgeons who may have become wary of hip resurfacing to adopt a new technology.
What to Watch in the Next Twelve Months
The immediate focus for JointMedica is unequivocally on the IDE study. The key milestone to track will be the completion of enrollment, followed by the presentation of initial safety and efficacy data. Any partnership expansion with Exactech or announcements regarding preparation for a commercial launch, contingent on FDA approval, would be strong signals of forward momentum.