Lon S. Weiner, M.D., Co-Founder and Director of Nextremity Solutions, LLC (OrthoPreneur)
Nextremity Solutions was started in 2008 by Lon Weiner, M.D. and Stuart Katchis, M.D. The initial focus of Nextremity was to catalogue our ideas, obtain intellectual property and develop each product to be sold onU.S. and international markets. Nextremity also has a platform for working with other surgeons to develop future products. Presently, Nextremity Solutions has four products in development. The Nextra Hammertoe System is FDA cleared and launched in the U.S. Because product development is our main focus, our CEO, Arthur Alfaro and our Board are vital to our business operations.
Lon S. Weiner, M.D. is a Board Certified Orthopedic Surgeon and Chief of Orthopedic Trauma at Lenox Hill Hospital, New York,New York. He is also an Orthopedic Surgeon and Trauma Consultant at Riverview Hospital, Red Bank, New Jersey.
Dr. Weiner holds numerous patents personally, and has designed or participated in five current orthopaedic devices.
His education includes Boston University undergraduate, Mt. Sinai Medical School and Residency in New York City and Fellowship at the Hospital for Special Surgery, also in New York City.
He has authored numerous publications and chapters. He currently participates in the residency teaching program at Lenox Hill Hospital and numerous orthopaedic seminars.
ORTHOPRENEUR recently asked him about his experience.
- What motivated your decision to start your own company?
- How did you manage to make time to build your own enterprise and maintain a busy practice?
- What stood behind your decision to start your own orthopaedic company as opposed to selling or licensing your inventions to an existing company?
- What was the biggest challenge you faced as a surgeon building an orthopaedic company?
- Were there times when you thought of giving up? What kept you going?
- If you could relive the experience, what would you have done differently?
- Do you think industry at large has responded properly to the needs of orthopaedic surgeons? What advice would you have for industry, moving forward?
- What advice do you have for surgeons who are contemplating developing their own ideas into products and perhaps starting their own company?
- What are your plans for the future?