Osteal Presents Infection Treatment Data at AAHKS

Osteal Therapeutics will present three scientific studies on periprosthetic joint infection treatment at the 2026 AAHKS Annual Meeting in Texas.

Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Arthritis

Close-up photograph of a polished stainless-steel surgical instrument tray on a pale sterile drape under soft clinical light. — Osteal Therapeutics will present three studies on its NEXCHANGE KIT infection-treatment approach at the 2026 AAHKS Annual Meeting in Grapevine, Texas, November 5-8. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Osteal Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, will feature three scientific presentations on cyclic local antibiotic irrigation for periprosthetic joint infection at the 2026 AAHKS Annual Meeting, held November 5-8 in Grapevine, Texas. The presentations include 24-month outcomes from the APEX clinical trial program.

Why it matters

Periprosthetic joint infection is a serious complication after joint replacement, and the current two-stage exchange approach is lengthy and has limited success over time. The data will be shared with orthopedic surgeons attending the meeting.

The APEX studies enrolled 152 patients across 23 U.S. clinical centers, while the current two-stage exchange arthroplasty averages 16 weeks with a success rate under 50% after 12 months. The 24-month outcomes for the investigational NEXCHANGE KIT have not been independently assessed in the source.

The players

Osteal Therapeutics

Osteal Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing combination drug/device therapies for orthopedic infections.

Nicolas S. Piuzzi, MD

Nicolas S. Piuzzi is an orthopedic surgeon at Cleveland Clinic who will present the 24-month APEX trial outcomes.

The details

NEXCHANGE KIT is an investigational drug/device combination delivering vancomycin and tobramycin directly to the joint space during an exchange arthroplasty procedure. The FDA has granted it Breakthrough Therapy, Orphan Drug, Fast Track, and Qualified Infectious Disease Product designations.

November 5, 2026: Osteal announced the scheduled presentations.
November 5-8, 2026: AAHKS Annual Meeting in Grapevine, Texas.

Big Picture

The 24-month presentation from the APEX and APEX-2 trials extends the program's follow-up beyond earlier results, adding longer-term evidence for cyclic local antibiotic irrigation as an alternative to two-stage exchange arthroplasty, which remains the current gold standard.

Patients with a failed joint replacement and periprosthetic infection may eventually have a shorter treatment option if NEXCHANGE proves effective in further study. The investigational therapy is not yet available as a standard treatment, so current options remain the two-stage exchange procedure.

The takeaway

Patients facing joint infection after replacement should discuss all available treatment options with their orthopedic surgeon. Investigational therapies remain under study and are not yet standard care.