Lithoz GmbH, a global leader in ceramic 3D printing, and New York-based biomaterials manufacturer Himed have signed a strategic research partnership agreement. The goal is to further accelerate the development of medical-grade bioceramics.
The collaboration focuses on implants using biocompatible calcium phosphates, aiming to better meet the strongly increasing demand for innovative 3D-printable bioceramic feedstocks. Himed has acquired a Lithoz CeraFab S65 Medical Printer to explore novel integrations of their leading calcium phosphate biomaterials with Lithoz’s proprietary ceramic binder.
The fascinating properties of the LithaBone medical ceramics, such as excellent biocompatibility and osteoconductivity, have proven to be a highly attractive alternative to metals used in human surgery. Lithoz has also received numerous innovation study requests involving these bioceramics, as the precision and design flexibility of Lithoz LCM technology possess huge potential for innovation when it comes to lattice structures and porosities achieving the desired ideal level of osteoconductivity.
The first phase of research will occur at Lithoz’s U.S. location in Troy, NY this summer by a joint team of materials scientists. Himed will install a new Lithoz CeraFab S65 printer at their 25,000 sq. ft. facility in Long Island early this fall, allowing the company to more rapidly experiment on site and run important analytical testing at its in-house laboratory.
Himed’s CEO, Dana Barnard, explains: “Himed understands CaP optimization and how to scale it for a growing market. We’ve refined many calcium phosphates to strengthen their healing potential, but most of these were targeted toward surface coatings on traditionally manufactured titanium implants. Lithoz’s remarkable 3D printing technology allows a whole new direction for our products, in which we can use CaP to its greatest advantage—as a biomimetic material within the implant structure itself that can be replaced by a person’s own natural bone over time.”
Lithoz CEO Dr. Johannes Homa takes the same line: “This is definitely a big milestone for our partnership, and just a first starting point for a mutual beneficial collaboration for additive manufacturing of bone replacement.”
Both companies believe there is still much to discover about developing CaP materials to augment the performance of 3D-printed implantable forms. This strategic partnership represents a first step in growing the range of biocompatible materials suitable for a future that includes highly customized, patient-specific medical solutions that can be printed on demand.
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