EDISON, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 17, 2025--
MTF Biologics, a global nonprofit organization that saves and heals lives by honoring donated gifts and advancing the science of tissue transplantation, today announced that two of its aseptically processed allografts without terminal irradiation, AmnioBand ® Membrane, an allograft placental matrix, and AlloPatch ® Pliable an allograft dermal matrix, will remain among the 18 tissues covered under the newly updated Medicare Local Coverage Determinations (LCDs) for skin substitute grafts/cellular and tissue-based products for the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) and venous leg ulcers (VLUs). Coverage is effective January 1, 2026.
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“This Medicare coverage decision affirms what clinicians and patients have experienced for years—that high-quality, evidence-based tissue therapies play a critical role in healing complex wounds,” said Joe Yaccarino, President and Chief Executive Officer of MTF Biologics. “As a nonprofit organization, we remain committed to advancing rigorous clinical evidence, ensuring patient safety and supporting providers with solutions that deliver meaningful outcomes and value.”
The update to the future effective LCDs was announced by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on December 15, 2025. Coverage is based on published clinical evidence and implementation of the LCDs will help drive scientific advances in wound care treatment. Skin substitutes will be designated into one of three coverage categories: covered, non-covered and 12-month status quo period. The 18 products classified as “covered” were found to “meet the evidence threshold outlined in the LCDs that will be covered by Medicare.”
Backed by robust peer-reviewed published randomized controlled trials, AmnioBand ® Membrane and AlloPatch ® Pliable both remain covered for the treatment of DFUs, offering providers confidence and flexibility to choose between a clinically proven placental membrane and a dermal allograft solution. AmnioBand Membrane stands apart as one of only five tissues covered for both DFUs and VLUs, reinforcing its differentiated clinical evidence and broad applicability across chronic wound types.
The updated LCDs align with the medical coverage policies of most commercial health plans, ensuring broad market applicability of AmnioBand ® Membrane and AlloPatch ® Pliable for both new and existing distribution partners. As a result, healthcare providers and Medicare beneficiaries suffering from chronic, non-healing wounds can continue to access high-quality, safe, effective and economically advantageous tissue-forms.
MTF Biologics’ AmnioBand ® Membrane and AlloPatch ® Pliable key differentiators include:
Additional information and inquiries about MTF Biologics tissues covered by the updated CMS guidelines can be found at www.mtfbiologics.org/new-medicare-guidelines.
About MTF Biologics
MTF Biologics is a global nonprofit organization that saves and heals lives by honoring donated gifts, serving patients and advancing science. In partnership with organ and tissue recovery organizations, MTF Biologics provides exceptional services, resources, and expertise to donors and their families; tissue and organ transplant patients; and clinicians and scientists who advance patient care.
The International Institute for the Advancement of Medicine (IIAM), a Division of MTF Biologics, honors donors of non-transplantable organs by providing their gifts to the medical research community to combat and cure diseases. Statline, also a Division of MTF Biologics, provides specialized communications and technology expertise to organ, tissue, and eye procurement organizations, as well as the hospitals they serve. Its sister organization, Deutsches Institute for Zell-und Gewebeersatz – DIZG (The German Institute for Cell and Tissue Transplantation) expands its reach to patients across the globe.
For more information about our wound care portfolio, visit www.mtfbiologics.org.
MTF Biologics' AmnioBand® Membrane and AlloPatch® Pliable are among the 18 tissues that will be covered under the newly updated Medicare Local Coverage Determinations (LCDs) for skin substitute grafts/cellular and tissue-based products for the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) and venous leg ulcers (VLUs). Coverage is effective January 1, 2026.
ADELAIDE, Australia (AP) — Nathan Lyon took two wickets to move past Glenn McGrath for second place on Australia’s all-time bowling list, and returning skipper Pat Cummins took his first wickets of the series as a relentless bowling attack kept England in trouble in the third Ashes test.
Australia resumed Day 2 at 326-8 and was all out for 371 with Mitchell Starc posting a half-century before Jofra Archer finished off the tailenders to return 5-53, his fourth five-wicket haul in test cricket.
By stumps, England had struggled to 213 for eight, still 158 behind.
England was coasting at 37-0 in reply until Cummins struck. Lyon then took two wickets in his first over as England lost three wickets in 15 balls.
It was a struggle the rest of the day for England, which needs to bat long to revive its chances in this five-test series on a pitch and conditions that traditionally favor batting on Day 2 at the Adelaide Oval.
Compounding that, the Australian bowlers and fielders spent most of the day in the field in temperatures hitting 40C (104F).
Skipper Ben Stokes had to endure the heat to lift his lineup, appearing to struggle with cramping after four hours at the crease. His mood wasn't helped by more contentions outcomes from the Decision Review System technology.
But his stubborn, unbeaten 45 from 151 balls and his unbroken 45-run stand with No. 10 Archer (30) helped England survive the last 13 overs Thursday.
Cummins missed the eight-wicket wins in Perth and Brisbane, which gave Australia a 2-0 series lead, while he recovered from a back injury. In his first spell back, he dismissed opener Zak Crawley (9) to trigger a top-order slide.
Lyon was introduced for the 10th over and the 38-year-old offspinner had immediate success with two wickets in four balls to remove Ollie Pope (3) and Ben Duckett (29) as England slumped to 42-3.
He had Pope caught by a diving Josh Inglis at midwicket to equal retired paceman McGrath's career haul of 563 test wickets.
On the last ball of that over, Lyon enticed Duckett to play the wrong line to a drifting delivery that took out off stump. TV coverage showed McGrath in a stadium commentary booth pretending to throw a chair around in mock annoyance.
Only the great Shane Warne — with 708 wickets in 145 tests from 1992-2007 — is above Lyon on the Australia's list of test wicket-takers.
It was a huge return for Lyon, who only bowled two overs in Perth and was omitted from the lineup that won the second test in Brisbane.
He bowled 22 overs across Day 2 and returned 2-51. Cummins had 3-54, Scott Boland returned 2-31. Starc, the leading wicket-taker in the series, had 0-54 from 12 overs.
England needs victory in Adelaide to have any chance of reclaiming the Ashes, and is relying on a big performance from Stokes to achieve it.
He weathered all kinds of pressure after going to the crease at 71-4 just after the lunch interval when Cummins dismissed Joe Root. Stokes was hit on the side of the helmet as he tried to turn his head away from a short-pitch ball from Starc that was traveling at 145 kph (90 mph). A thick inside edge onto his thigh had him hopping around on 41, too, just before the end of play.
Cameron Green struck on his third delivery to end a 56-run fifth-wicket stand, getting the edge of Harry Brook’s bat with a ball that moved away from the right-hander.
Brook scored 45 from 63 before he was out in the 37th over, adding just one run after getting a reprieve when he was given out caught behind off Lyon's bowling but successfully reviewed the decision with the TV umpire.
There were more dramas with the DRS technology, on top of the contentious review on Wednesday that gave Australia's Alex Carey a reprieve on 72 on the way to his first Ashes century.
Jamie Smith was on 16 when he appeared to glove a catch to Usman Khawaja in the slips. On-field umpires referred the catch to the TV umpire, who ruled it didn’t hit the glove or the bat before hitting the helmet and ricocheting to slips. The Australians were in disbelief. One of the players said the “snicko needs to be sacked.”
A call went against England when Cummins got a slight edge from the toe end of Smith's bat as it carried to Carey. The on-field umpire gave it out, confirmed by the TV umpire despite a seemingly indecisive spike as the ball went past the bat.
AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket
Australia's Nathan Lyon, left, celebrates with teammate Mitchell Starc after dismissing England's Ben Duckett during play on day two of the third Ashes cricket test between England and Australia in Adelaide, Australia, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/James Elsby)
Australia's Nathan Lyon, left, celebrates with teammate Mitchell Starc after dismissing England's Ben Duckett during play on day two of the third Ashes cricket test between England and Australia in Adelaide, Australia, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/James Elsby)
Australia's Mitchell Starc bats during play on day two of the third Ashes cricket test between England and Australia in Adelaide, Australia, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/James Elsby)
England's Jofra Archer, centre, is congratulated by teammates after taking five wickets during play on day two of the third Ashes cricket test between England and Australia in Adelaide, Australia, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/James Elsby)
England's Jofra Archer bowls a delivery during play on day one of the third Ashes cricket test between England and Australia at the Adelaide Oval in Adelaide, Australia, Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2025. (AP Photo/James Elsby)
England's Jofra Archer reacts after taking five wickets during play on day two of the third Ashes cricket test between England and Australia in Adelaide, Australia, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/James Elsby)
