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Oxford Performance Materials (OPM), and SINTX Technologies announced their successful development of a new class of orthopedic coatings. These coatings are targeted at overcoming the clinical limitations of metallic implants, some of which have come under increasing scientific and regulatory scrutiny worldwide.
SINTX and OPM combined their respective expertise in polymer and ceramic material science to create a novel composite coating technology that can be applied to biomedical metallic substrates. Silicon nitride and PEKK polymer are biomaterials that already have FDA clearance for human implantation. OPM and SINTX jointly developed a suspension of PEKK and submicron silicon nitride powder that can be applied to titanium, as well as other metallic substrates used in modern orthopedic and dental surgery. The suspension is then cured to form a tough and tenaciously adherent composite film less than one micron in thickness. Further testing is underway toward submission of the technology for regulatory approval. Under a licensing agreement in place, either company can enter royalty-bearing commercial agreements with mutually selected customers.
Unlike other technologies, the PEKK/Silicon Nitride composite coating does not rely upon the release of antibiotics or the presence of antibacterial materials, such as silver ions or peptides. Instead, the product leverages both passive and active surface mechanisms to discourage bacterial adhesion, while stimulating osteoblast cell interaction with bone. These properties are inherent to the biomaterials used and have been validated in a number of scientific findings and publications that have undergone rigorous peer review. In addition to testing protocols, the companies have begun initial application discussions with several orthopedic and dental OEMs that are interested in evaluating commercial applications of the composite product on titanium, stainless steel and cobalt chrome substrates.
