Our past NLT picks: Where are they now?

RTI made it into last year's Next Little Thing package because of its innovative orthopedic implants sculpted from cattle bone, commonly called xenografts. Last February, publicly traded RTI (Ticker: RTIX) scored a contract with Wright Medical Technology to develop and manufacture xenograft implants, which serve as bone fillers in foot and ankle surgeries.

The majority of RTI's business comes from the sale of allografts, surgical implants made from human donated tissue. In April, Blackstone Medical, a spine product company, began distributing spinal allografts manufactured by RTI. The Alachua, Fla.-based company is also working on a line of cervical spine allografts for one of the world's leading medical technology companies, Stryker. In the coming year, RTI expects to finalize a merger with Tutogen Medical, a bio-implant manufacturer, that will create a larger xenograpft distribution network.