BOSTON, June 19, 2025 — Intrinsic Therapeutics, a medical technology company focused on improving outcomes for lumbar discectomy patients with large annular defects by reducing reoperations for reherniations by 81%* using its Barricaid Annular Closure Device, today announced that the International Society for the Advancement of Spine Surgery (ISASS) has released an updated 2025 policy regarding bone-anchored annular closure to prevent reherniation in high-risk discectomy patients. The updated policy reaffirms the society’s recommendations and coverage criteria for the medical necessity of bone-anchored annular closure in patients undergoing discectomy with large annular defects, in order to maintain the benefits of the discectomy procedure.

The updated ISASS policy is based on the growing amount of clinical evidence that supports the use of Barricaid, as well as recent changes in diagnostic coding and reimbursement processes since the original 2020 publication. Key updates include: published five-year RCT results showing Barricaid’s superiority to discectomy alone, findings from the U.S. confirmatory study, several new meta-analyses, the introduction of ICD-10 codes for reporting defect size, and the approval of a new Category I CPT code, which will go into effect in 2026.

“Discectomy alone leaves a structural vulnerability in high-risk patients. Bone-anchored annular closure addresses that gap—reducing repeat surgeries and sustaining long-term outcomes,” said Morgan P. Lorio, MD, ISASS Past President and Chair Emeritus, Coding & Reimbursement Task Force. “The updated position reflects new five-year randomized data showing significant reductions in symptomatic reherniation, reoperation, and device-related adverse events. With new CPT and ICD-10 codes now in place and FDA-approved technology available, ISASS urges coverage and appropriate clinical adoption of this technique to improve outcomes and reduce the overall healthcare burden in this well-defined, high-risk population.”

April Spillane, Vice President, Health Economics for Intrinsic Therapeutics, expressed appreciation for the updated guideline: “Specialty Spine societies like ISASS are essential in expanding access to advanced treatment options for patients. We appreciate ISASS taking the lead in promoting Barricaid as an important treatment option for high-risk discectomy patients. Their continued leadership in supporting innovative technologies significantly benefits patients and providers.”

The complete ISASS Recommendations and Coverage Criteria document can be found at:

About Barricaid

Barricaid is a technology created to prevent reherniation and the need for additional surgery in patients who have large annular defects following lumbar discectomy surgery. Barricaid has been used in over 12,000 patients and is supported by clinical studies involving eight different patient populations, including two randomized controlled trials and six single-arm trials. A multicenter, Level I RCT demonstrating superior outcomes compared to discectomy alone was published in JAMA with five-year follow-up results.

*Some studies outside FDA indications. Values at Minimum 1 year Post-op. Minimum study size of 20 Barricaid patients.

Barricaid is a registered trademark of Intrinsic Therapeutics, Inc.

SOURCE Intrinsic Therapeutics, Inc.