Align Technology Rises with Invisalign, SmartTrack Patents
Align Technology ALGN, a renowned dental technology player, achieved a major breakthrough with its clear aligner device Invisalign. The company announced that it has received two U.S. Patents from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for its SmartTrack clear aligner material, which was introduced back in 2013.
A highly elastic multi-layer polymer material used particularly for orthodontic treatment, SmartTrack aligner material delivers gentle and more constant force to improve control of tooth movements in patients with Invisalign clear aligners. According to Align, the product is much superior to other aligner materials as it more precisely complies with tooth morphology, attachments and interproximal spaces compared to others.
Combined with SmartForce features and attachments, Invisalign clear aligners with SmartTrack material are clinically proven to achieve greater than 75% improvement in overall tooth movement predictability, compared to clear aligners made with off-the-shelf single-layer material.
Align is highly optimistic about this latest development with SmartTrack, which the company considers as one of its most impactful innovations. The company claims that not only will this ensure better treatment for all Invisalign patients but also help itself maintain a competitive niche in the market.
Worth mentioning is how rapidly clear aligner is spreading its footprints in the huge and growing U.S. orthodontic market. There have already been more than 4.5 million Invisalign patients to date, out of which over 2.3 million have used SmartTrack material. The latest announcement should further boost up its usage.
With growing demand for cosmetic dentistry across the world, the global invisible orthodontics market is expected to witness an impressive CAGR of nearly 13% from 2016 to 2020 (data by Technavivo.com). This impressive prediction clearly indicates how smartly with its strategic innovations and product advancements, Align is gradually expanding its foothold in the international orthodontic space.
Notably over the past three months, Align traded above the Zacks categorized Medical - Dental Supplies industry. The stock gained 36.7% over this period, as compared to the broader market’s gain of 5.5%. The market is particularly upbeat about the ongoing strong Invisalign volume. While growth in North America and world-wide regions are strong, teenage cases across the globe are growing significantly, contributing to the topline in recent past.
Align has undertaken several strategies to improve adoption of Invisalign that includes product/technology development, extending clinical effectiveness, extension of the Invisalign brand and driving international growth. Recently, the company introduced first clear aligner solution for teen Class II correction- the Invisalign Teen with mandibular advancement in certain national markets like Canada, EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) and APAC (Asia-Pacific).
Zacks Rank & Key Picks
Align currently flaunts a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). Some other top-ranked stocks in the broader medical sector are Luminex Corp. LMNX, Inogen, Inc. INGN and Edwards Lifesciences Corp. EW. Notably, Luminex and Inogen sport a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), while Edwards Lifesciences carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
Luminex has expected long-term adjusted earnings growth of almost 16.3%. The stock added roughly 8.5% over the last three months.
Inogen has long-term expected earnings growth rate of 17.5%. The stock has a solid one-year return of roughly 77.8%.
Edwards Lifesciences has expected long-term adjusted earnings growth of almost 15.6%. The stock roughly added 19.9% over last three months.
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