Daniel Ammon, Vice President, R&D, Regenity Biosciences04.05.23
In the orthopedics bone graft substitute industry, the regenerative medicine and synthetics market has been growing at a rapid pace. It’s evolving faster than ever before, with new entrants and technologies, and to keep up with this evolution, innovation is critical.
We are starting to see the industry shift away from the use of autografts, allografts and the more expensive methods that we have typically used to procure bone graft materials in the past to clinically proven options that are easily accessible and more affordable, including new ways to naturally regenerate tissue, bone and muscle using bioactive materials.
Innovation is supporting the shift to regenerative medicine as treatment for a variety of orthopedic trauma cases and bone voids.
Historically, bone grafting solutions consisted of autografts or allografts. However, as tissue engineering technology continues to advance, we started to see the rise in biomaterials with added components to mimic the functionality of bone-like minerals and matrices. Collagen-based scaffolds offer advantages when selected as biomaterials, and the industry is moving toward the use of these collagen-based medical devices, which have been very successful in supporting the production of this regeneration and treating tissue and bone. We are continuing to see growing utilizations in the application of bone replacement materials in orthopedics because of their ease of use and cost effectiveness.
Mineral and collagen composite bone graft substitutes are designed to fill bony voids, large bone gaps and defects. And newer and more advanced synthetic bone graft substitutes have been shown to actively support the bone healing and fusion process. For example, bioactive glass supports the bone healing process through an ionic exchange reaction to optimize the surface area for formation of silanol, calcium and phosphocarbonate bonds, which encourage cell attachment by recruiting bone forming cells to the area while providing a scaffold to help span the gap. Bioactive products, with the right combination of novel materials, lead to bone formation, creating an environment to grow bone where it doesn’t naturally grow.
Orthopedic surgeons can use bioactive products with resorption and remodeling profiles more similar to that of normal human bone than those of other synthetic materials, such as hydroxyapatite or tricalcium phosphate. These types of biomaterials are studied for their biocompatibility, and research into these types of materials focuses on the growth of cells into a scaffold and the establishment of a 3D cell structure. Fluorescent microscopy shows cell attachment of osteogenic cells to collagen, initiating the process of maturation of undifferentiated mesenchymal stem cells to osteoblasts.
A mineral and collagen composite matrix, like OssiMend Bioactive for example, has an optimal ingredient profile including a trio of bioactive glass, carbonate apatite and collagen to facilitate cell proliferation and bone formation. This combination allows cells to travel through the scaffold and flourish in an ionic alkaline environment, starting differentiation along the path of bone formation and healing, providing an optimal scaffold to support the body’s natural ability to regenerate.
Innovation in procurement models and materials processing, as well as in manufacturing and operations of these materials, is helping to lead to major advancements in regenerative medicine to address unmet needs in the industry with new applications with speed, agility and high quality. When exploring partners for product development, it is important to look for one that can keep up with the current pace of innovation in biologics. Look for a partner that has a diverse portfolio of biomaterials such as novel bioglass and synthetic polymers and advanced lab testing capabilities – partnering with an innovative supplier who already has best-in-class infrastructure established is key.
Continued efforts to design and produce innovative biomaterials will ultimately lead to better healing and improved quality of life for patients, who can benefit from life-changing and life-saving advances sooner.
Daniel Ammon is the Vice President of Research and Development at Regenity Biosciences (formerly Collagen Matrix), with nearly 30 years of experience in research and development for medical devices. In his role, he manages all strategic research projects at Regenity Biosciences to drive the development of new and innovative products. Prior to his time at Regenity Biosciences, he held various scientific and leadership positions with Dentsply Sirona and Bauch & Lomb. Most recently, Dan was inducted into the national academy of engineering, the highest professional distinction accorded to an engineer honoring his outstanding contributions to engineering research and practice and pioneering of new and developing fields of technology in the medical device industry.
We are starting to see the industry shift away from the use of autografts, allografts and the more expensive methods that we have typically used to procure bone graft materials in the past to clinically proven options that are easily accessible and more affordable, including new ways to naturally regenerate tissue, bone and muscle using bioactive materials.
Innovation is supporting the shift to regenerative medicine as treatment for a variety of orthopedic trauma cases and bone voids.
Supporting the Body’s Ability to Regenerate
Surgeons and patients have benefited greatly from advancements and innovation in biomaterials as regenerative implants have transformed the bone healing process. Although bone grafting was once the gold standard for repairing bone defects, its usage can be limited.Historically, bone grafting solutions consisted of autografts or allografts. However, as tissue engineering technology continues to advance, we started to see the rise in biomaterials with added components to mimic the functionality of bone-like minerals and matrices. Collagen-based scaffolds offer advantages when selected as biomaterials, and the industry is moving toward the use of these collagen-based medical devices, which have been very successful in supporting the production of this regeneration and treating tissue and bone. We are continuing to see growing utilizations in the application of bone replacement materials in orthopedics because of their ease of use and cost effectiveness.
Mineral and collagen composite bone graft substitutes are designed to fill bony voids, large bone gaps and defects. And newer and more advanced synthetic bone graft substitutes have been shown to actively support the bone healing and fusion process. For example, bioactive glass supports the bone healing process through an ionic exchange reaction to optimize the surface area for formation of silanol, calcium and phosphocarbonate bonds, which encourage cell attachment by recruiting bone forming cells to the area while providing a scaffold to help span the gap. Bioactive products, with the right combination of novel materials, lead to bone formation, creating an environment to grow bone where it doesn’t naturally grow.
Orthopedic surgeons can use bioactive products with resorption and remodeling profiles more similar to that of normal human bone than those of other synthetic materials, such as hydroxyapatite or tricalcium phosphate. These types of biomaterials are studied for their biocompatibility, and research into these types of materials focuses on the growth of cells into a scaffold and the establishment of a 3D cell structure. Fluorescent microscopy shows cell attachment of osteogenic cells to collagen, initiating the process of maturation of undifferentiated mesenchymal stem cells to osteoblasts.
A mineral and collagen composite matrix, like OssiMend Bioactive for example, has an optimal ingredient profile including a trio of bioactive glass, carbonate apatite and collagen to facilitate cell proliferation and bone formation. This combination allows cells to travel through the scaffold and flourish in an ionic alkaline environment, starting differentiation along the path of bone formation and healing, providing an optimal scaffold to support the body’s natural ability to regenerate.
A Need for Innovative Partnerships
In a world of challenging labor markets and disrupted global supply chains, more and more leading medical technology companies have started outsourcing the development and manufacturing of biomaterials. Additionally, an outsourcing model can put you months or even years ahead in the development of a new product while ensuring quality, safety and cost effectiveness.Innovation in procurement models and materials processing, as well as in manufacturing and operations of these materials, is helping to lead to major advancements in regenerative medicine to address unmet needs in the industry with new applications with speed, agility and high quality. When exploring partners for product development, it is important to look for one that can keep up with the current pace of innovation in biologics. Look for a partner that has a diverse portfolio of biomaterials such as novel bioglass and synthetic polymers and advanced lab testing capabilities – partnering with an innovative supplier who already has best-in-class infrastructure established is key.
Continued efforts to design and produce innovative biomaterials will ultimately lead to better healing and improved quality of life for patients, who can benefit from life-changing and life-saving advances sooner.
Daniel Ammon is the Vice President of Research and Development at Regenity Biosciences (formerly Collagen Matrix), with nearly 30 years of experience in research and development for medical devices. In his role, he manages all strategic research projects at Regenity Biosciences to drive the development of new and innovative products. Prior to his time at Regenity Biosciences, he held various scientific and leadership positions with Dentsply Sirona and Bauch & Lomb. Most recently, Dan was inducted into the national academy of engineering, the highest professional distinction accorded to an engineer honoring his outstanding contributions to engineering research and practice and pioneering of new and developing fields of technology in the medical device industry.
