A History of Innovation
Home » About
RTI » A History of Innovation
RTI Biologics, Inc. began operations in February 1998, when
the University of Florida Tissue Bank, Inc. (UFTB, now called Southeast Tissue
Alliance) transferred its allograft processing operations, related equipment
and technologies, distribution arrangements and research and development activities
to RTI.
Since the company's founding, RTI has grown to become one of the leaders
in tissue-based innovations for the repair and natural healing of human bone
and other human tissues. RTI is one of the largest processors of precision-tooled
biologics in the United States.
In March 2000, RTI made history in the allograft industry by developing
BioCleanse®, the first process to use a low-temperature
chemical sterilization system that eliminates bacteria, fungi, spores and
viruses from tissue without compromising the biocompatibility or structural
integrity of the tissue.
In August 2000, RTI completed an initial public offering and began trading
on the NASDAQ exchange under the trading symbol RTIX. With the funding from
its IPO, RTI was able to improve its facilities to meet pharmaceutical standards and continue
developments to improve its processes and implants.
In May 2002, RTI opened its new state-of-the-art facility to better ensure
the safety and quality of its implants and to provide greater efficiency
in its operations. With the new facility, RTI was able to create the Next-Generation
BioCleanse® Tissue Sterilization Process, using multiple chambers to allow
tissue from a single donor to be sterilized efficiently. In June 2004, RTI
announced the implementation of BioCleanse to sterilize soft tissue implants. To date,
more than half a million implants have been sterilized with ZERO incidence of infection.
In 2005, RTI once again led the evolution of biologics by introducing the Sterling® line
of implants. These implants are based on bovine tissue from an exclusive, closed heard
and optimized through our proprietary BioCleanse process.