Jun 20 2006
One of three winners in the recently announced Future Materials Awards 2006, NanoCoatings Pty Ltd is now seeking collaborators and investors to join it in developing its breakthrough new bone-graft technology.
Associate Professor Besim Ben-Nissan of the University of Technology, Sydney (UTS), said that the company has developed an enabling technology for the production of a new synthetic bone replacement material with improved durability, bioactivity and strength. The technology has won the Future Materials Award in the Biotechnology Category.
“This material and its production technique represent a significant advance on the materials currently available for bone graft and spinal implant technology,” said Associate Professor Ben-Nissan.
“Potential uses for the technology include bone-grafting under load-bearing conditions, such as long bones and the spine, and bioactive coatings for artificial joints, such as total hip replacements, knee and dental implants,” he said.
He explained that the new product, BioAlmog, is a high-strength bone-graft material derived from hydroxyapatite. It has innovative features that give it specific advantages in its mechanical properties, in comparison to other commercially available hydroxyapatite products.
“These advantages are due to the conversion treatment, and the nano-coating with carbonate apatite, which uses a novel sol-gel technique,” he said.
The new bone-graft technology will be of great social benefit, particularly for sufferers of arthritis and related disabling diseases.
“When you consider that an estimated 500 million people worldwide have various forms of arthritis, you can see the great potential of BioAlmog to help these people,” said Associate Professor Ben-Nissan.
“We developed this technology at UTS and are collaborating with UNSW and a university in the UK,” he said. “However, we are now looking to generate further interest, especially as we need funding for further animal studies.”