RegenTec, a British company, has developed artificial ‘injectable bone’ that flows like toothpaste, and hardens in the body. The hardened paste creates a scaffold upon which blood vessels and living bone tissue can attach. The paste can also be infused with medications and perhaps stem cells if the current testing pans out.
Other materials used in this way heat up as they cure and kill surrounding tissues. The RegenTec injectable bone is a mix of ceramic and polylactic acid which cures at body temperature. The injectable bone may eventually reduce or eliminate the need surgery for bone grafts to repair skeletal defects and fractures and allow some patients to heal fractures without a cast.
While trials are underway in Britain and Australia, it is not expected to be approved for use in the US until the end of 2010.
Fast Fracture Fixes
Almost Instant Bone Mending with Toothpaste-Like Injections
Trend Themes
1. Injectable Bone Grafts - RegenTec's injectable bone graft has disruptive potential to reduce or eliminate the need for traditional bone graft procedures.
2. Medicated Injectable Bone Grafts - RegenTec's medicated injectable bone graft has disruptive potential to deliver targeted medication to the site of bone repair.
3. Stem Cell-infused Injectable Bone Grafts - RegenTec's stem cell-infused injectable bone graft (pending successful testing) has disruptive potential to regenerate bone tissue faster and more effectively.
Industry Implications
1. Medical Devices - RegenTec's injectable bone graft has disruptive potential to change the landscape of bone graft procedures, opening up opportunities for medical device companies to develop and market this technology.
2. Pharmaceuticals - RegenTec's medicated and stem cell-infused injectable bone grafts have disruptive potential to create demand for new medications and therapies targeted at bone repair.
3. Orthopedics - RegenTec's injectable bone grafts have disruptive potential to transform the field of orthopedics by reducing or eliminating the need for traditional bone grafts and casting.