DiFusion Technologies Announces Board Changes

Austin, Texas-based DiFusion Technologies, Inc., a biotechnology company, has appointed Rich Grant to chairman of the board and Todd Potokar to the company’s board of directors.

Grant, a veteran in the orthopedics industry, has served on DiFusion’s board of directors for more than four years. His orthopedics expertise comes from Breakaway Imaging, LLC, where he was the president, CEO, and co-founder. Breakaway created imaging technology that was utilized in the orthopedic and spine industry. In 2007, Grant facilitated the sale of Breakaway to Medtronic.

Grant has not slowed down since selling his company. According to the company, Grant is “currently involved in several medical device initiatives mainly with early-stage spine and orthopedics companies.” He also lends his expertise as a consultant and serves on the board of directors for numerous orthopedic and spine companies including FastForm Medical, SpinalSimplicity, and OnPoint Surgical.

Potokar has more than 30 years of medical device experience and has served in executive leadership positions including CEO. He also acts as an investor, advisor, and consultant. According to the press release, Potokar’s “extensive premarket-approval (PMA) and commercial experience added to shareholder value and exits while at US Surgical (acquired by Tyco), Surgical Dynamics (acquired by Stryker), Link Spine Group (acquired by Johnson & Johnson), and Titan Spine (acquired by Medtronic).”

DiFusion founder and CEO Derrick Johns expressed excitement about the board changes. Johns commented, “We are extremely excited to have Rich [Grant] and Todd [Potokar] in these important roles as they each bring over 30 years of orthopedic sales and transactional experience to our board. Their input going forward will be critical to our next phase of growth.”

Johns told OTW, “At DiFusion, we are working to launch our cervical product line in Q3 of 2021. In addition, we will continue efforts on our main goal for the year—to begin a multicenter clinical patient outcome study to show unequivocal superiority over any other biomaterial.”

Founded over a decade ago, DiFusion engineers and sales immunomodulatory, tissue regenerating, and antimicrobial polymers. The company created a new biomaterial, ZFUZE™, for use in surgical implants.

According to the DiFusion website, ZFUZE is a “composite polymer derived from PEEK and negatively (-) charged ceramic aluminum silicate molecules.” It is a “hydrophilic load bearing medical polymer, that provides for bony ingrowth into the implant and affords the surgeon the ability to verify fusion radiographically.”