IMD
IMD (International Medical Development Inc.) is a privately held US medical device company that designs, manufactures, and distributes the Gertie Marx® atraumatic spinal needle and QuickGuard safety accessory to anesthesiologists, pain specialists, obstetricians, neurosurgeons, and hospitals worldwide, with the goal of reducing post-dural puncture headache incidence.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1989
- HeadquartersHuntsville, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What IMD does
IMD (International Medical Development Inc.) is a privately held US medical device company founded in 1989 and headquartered in Huntsville, Utah. The company develops, manufactures, and distributes specialty spinal needles globally, with a workforce of 1–10 employees. Its flagship product is the Gertie Marx® Spinal Needle, an atraumatic needle whose proprietary tip geometry separates rather than slices dural fibers, reportedly reducing Post-Dural Puncture Headache (PDP) incidence to under 1% versus 30–40% with conventional cutting-tip needles. The product line spans 22G to 27G gauges and 50mm to 215mm lengths, complemented by the QuickGuard safety accessory, and is sold under the registered Gertie Marx trademark.
The company's underlying technology is purely mechanical and proprietary, centered on 35+ years of iterative refinement of the atraumatic point and eyelet positioning, with manufacturing done to medical-device quality standards in the United States. IMD monetizes through hardware sales of needles to healthcare professionals and institutions, reaching end users through a multi-channel GTM: direct online ordering via the company website, direct phone and email sales, and a global network of distributors serving North America, Europe, and Asia.
IMD's customer base consists of anesthesiologists, pain management specialists, obstetricians, neurosurgeons, and hospitals performing spinal and epidural procedures, with use cases spanning spinal anesthesia, epidural procedures, labor analgesia, and surgical anesthesia. The company is founder-aligned (Gertie F. Marx) and appears to be family- or founder-owned with no institutional investors, parent company, or public listing identified. No revenue, funding, or headcount growth signals are disclosed in the available material.
IMD firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- IMD
- Legal name
- International Medical Development Inc.
- Website
- https://imd-inc.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1989
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- IMD (International Medical Development Inc.) is a privately held US medical device company that designs, manufactures, and distributes the Gertie Marx® atraumatic spinal needle and QuickGuard safety accessory to anesthesiologists, pain specialists, obstetricians, neurosurgeons, and hospitals worldwide, with the goal of reducing post-dural puncture headache incidence.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
IMD industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Medical Devices — Spinal Anesthesia Needles
- NAICS
- Surgical and Medical Instrument Manufacturing (339112), Surgical Appliance and Supplies Manufacturing (339113)
- SIC
- Orthopedic, Prosthetic & Surgical Appliances & Supplies (3842), Surgical & Medical Instruments & Apparatus (3841)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Spine Implants & Motion Preservation (Fusion/Disc/Interspinous) (HLAHAEAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Prefilled Syringes & Safety Syringes (HLAHAIAA)
Keywords
Where IMD is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Huntsville
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
IMD business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Medical Device Sales: IMD generates revenue through the sale of proprietary spinal needles, specifically the Gertie Marx brand. The company manufactures and sells needles ranging from 22G to 27G with lengths from 50mm to 215mm to healthcare institutions and practitioners globally.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
IMD product offering
Product offeringCore offering
IMD designs, manufactures, and globally distributes the Gertie Marx® Spinal Needle, an atraumatic spinal needle with a proprietary tip geometry that separates rather than slices dural fibers. The needle is offered in gauges from 22G to 27G and lengths from 50mm/2" to 215mm/8.5", and is sold to healthcare professionals and institutions for spinal anesthesia, epidural procedures, labor analgesia, and surgical anesthesia. A complementary QuickGuard safety accessory is also offered.
Product overview
IMD (International Medical Development Inc.) offers a focused portfolio of medical devices centered on the Gertie Marx® Spinal Needle, their flagship product. The company provides a comprehensive range of atraumatic spinal needles from 22G to 27G with lengths from 50mm to 215mm, designed to reduce Post-Dural Puncture Headache (PDPH) rates. The product line is complemented by QuickGuard, a safety accessory. All products are manufactured in the USA and distributed globally to healthcare professionals.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Gertie Marx® Spinal Needle Atraumatic spinal needle with a proprietary tip that separates dural fibers rather than slicing them, producing a distinctive 'pop' tactile feedback and reducing Post-Dural Puncture Headache (PDPH) rates to less than 1% when combined with proper technique. Available in gauges 22G to 27G and lengths 50mm/2" to 215mm/8.5". Sold to anesthesiologists, pain management specialists, obstetricians, neurosurgeons, hospitals, and ambulatory surgery centers for spinal anesthesia, epidural procedures, labor analgesia, and surgical anesthesia.
- QuickGuard Safety accessory for the Gertie Marx® needle product line, listed as a distinct offering on the company website navigation.
Quantifiable outcome
- PDPH occurrence reduced to less than 1% with proper technique (compared to 30-40% with conventional needles)
Companies that use IMD
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
IMD technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
IMD partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators3 records
Recent moves4 records
Expansion highlights4 records
IMD competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- B. Braun Medical: Global medical device incumbent offering Pencan and Spinocan atraumatic spinal needles with similar clinical positioning to the Gertie Marx needle, but at much larger scale and broader portfolio breadth.
- Teleflex: Sells Arrow-brand spinal and epidural anesthesia needles, directly competing with the Gertie Marx needle in anesthesiology and pain management channels worldwide.
- ICU Medical (Smiths Medical): Acquired Smiths Medical's Portex spinal needle portfolio, directly competing with IMD's Gertie Marx needles in anesthesia and epidural procedures with a comparable specialty positioning.
- Vygon: European medical device company with a range of spinal and epidural anesthesia needles, offering comparable products to IMD with strong European hospital distribution.
Broad incumbents
- BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company): Diversified medical device giant with a spinal and epidural needle line; competes in the same end-use procedures as IMD and has significantly stronger hospital contracting and global distribution.
- Medline: Large privately held medical supply manufacturer and distributor with needle and injection product lines that compete indirectly with IMD in anesthesia supply contracts and GPO relationships.
- Halyard (Owens & Minor): Provides anesthesia and pain management supplies including needles, competing with IMD in hospital procurement with broader product breadth and integrated supply contracts.
Emerging players
- Sarstedt: Privately held German manufacturer of medical devices including specialty needles; competes in adjacent needle categories and represents a potential alternative supplier for anesthesiology customers.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
IMD social profiles
Digital presenceIMD financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
IMD leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
IMD funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
IMD M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about IMD
What does IMD do?
IMD designs, manufactures, and globally distributes the Gertie Marx® Spinal Needle, an atraumatic spinal needle with a proprietary tip geometry that separates rather than slices dural fibers. The needle is offered in gauges from 22G to 27G and lengths from 50mm/2" to 215mm/8.5", and is sold to healthcare professionals and institutions for spinal anesthesia, epidural procedures, labor analgesia, and surgical anesthesia. A complementary QuickGuard safety accessory is also offered.
Is IMD a public or private company?
IMD is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was IMD founded?
IMD was founded in 1989. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is IMD based?
IMD is headquartered in Huntsville, United States, in the North America region.
How does IMD make money?
One revenue line is on record: medical Device Sales.
Who are IMD's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are B. Braun Medical, Teleflex, ICU Medical (Smiths Medical) and Vygon. Broad incumbents are BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company), Medline and Halyard (Owens & Minor). Sarstedt is listed as an emerging player.
Does IMD have an API?
No public API is recorded for IMD.
What industry is IMD in?
IMD's product category is Medical Devices — Spinal Anesthesia Needles. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAHAEAC, Spine Implants & Motion Preservation (Fusion/Disc/Interspinous), with a secondary code of HLAHAIAA, Prefilled Syringes & Safety Syringes. Its NAICS code is 339112 and its SIC code is 3842.