Oxford Performance Materials Inc. has revealed it has received a three-year $150,000 grant from the National Institutes of Health to deliver new approaches in the treatment of infections related to implanted devices from advanced applications of 3D printed poly-ether-ketone-ketone.
The NIH's National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases provided the funding to improve the treatment of infections associated with artificial hips, knees and other implanted devices. The grant will support research in developing new approaches to the delivery of antibiotics through OPM's 3D printed PEKK implants.
"Device related infections are a burdensome clinical issue that results in prolonged patient suffering, increased mortality, and are expected to cost $12 billion per year by 2015,” explained Dr. Adam Hacking, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer, at OPM. “With this support from the NIH, we have the potential to rapidly advance treatment for bone and joint infections, reduce healthcare costs, reduce patient suffering and improve patient care."
This multidisciplinary research program involves established and productive experts from the Dept. of Orthopedics at the Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School and the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences at Harvard University.
Dr. Hacking added: "3D printing has enabled the combination of a load-bearing implantable material, PEKK, with the simplicity, flexibility and availability of perfusable drug delivery systems.”
OPM recently began a joint research programme with Yale University to develop innovative and cost-effective 3D printed biomedical technologies and applications, furthering the application of 3D printing in the healthcare industry.
