An FDA advisory panel voted positively on the safety, efficacy, and risk/benefit ratio of Cartiva's synthetic cartilage implant (SCI) for treating osteoarthritis at the base of the great toe. The panel voted 10-2 that the implant was safe, 9-3 that it was effective, and 8-2 with 2 abstentions that its benefits outweighed the risks. Cartiva expects a final FDA approval decision later this year, which would make Cartiva SCI the first synthetic cartilage device and first product for the forefoot approved through the PMA process. The company's CEO expressed pleased with the panel results as an important milestone toward commercializing Cartiva SCI in the United States.