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Evonik develops PEBA powder for 3D printing.
Evonik has made 3D printing start-up Meditool its first investment in China after leading a high single-digit million-Euro fundraising round.
Meditool develops customised implants for neuro and spine surgeries which are 3D printed with a high-performance PEEK polymer supplied by Evonik. These 3D printed implants are produced following an MRI or CT scanning process which captures data to later be modelled in a software developed by Meditool.
The company has sought to use 3D printing to take advantage of the capability to produce customised products efficiently, while Evonik’s PEEK material is less thermally conductive than the metal materials typically used to produce neuro and spine implants. Using PEEK, the implants won’t heat or cool down excessively when the patient is exposed to hot and cold temperatures, while the material is also biocompatible.
Witnessing the success Meditool has had implementing one of its 3D printing materials, Evonik has sought to offer its support. It was joined in a funding round by ZN Ventures, Morningside Ventures and Puhua Capital, to raise millions of Euros, which the manufacturer says will be of great help as it moves forward.
“Meditool’s technology plays directly into our strategy of expanding in high-tech applications for our additive manufacturing materials,” commented Thomas Grosse-Puppendahl, Head of Evonik’s Innovation Growth Field Additive Manufacturing. “Medical applications are of particular interest and our high-performance polymers have already been proven as a reliable implant material in other applications such as dental.”
“Meditool is one of the pioneers in developing 3D printed PEEK medical implants,” added Ken Jin, co-founder and chief technology officer of Meditool. “Evonik has been our trusted partner in materials supply. The venture investment will be an extra boost to our endeavour to bring innovative solutions to patients and surgeons in China and the rest of the world.”
“China is a key growth market for Evonik and one of the main drivers of innovation worldwide,” said Claas Klasen, President Evonik Asia North region. “It not only fosters leap-frog technology, it has the population and growing middle-class to drive fast-paced demand.” The Chinese market is the world’s second largest for medical implants with expected annual growth rates of 10-15 percent.”
