Resorbable magnesium medical implants with multifunctional surface

Scientists have long considered magnesium to be a very promising material for use in degradable bio-implants, but early promise has been offset by issues surrounding accelerated resorption leading to reduced strength in vivo and to hydrogen gas release.

BioCera Medical Ltd (BioCera) aims to provide enabling innovations to enhance the performance of magnesium-based alloys currently in use and under development as resorbable metal implants for orthopaedic trauma interventions by the introduction of an ECO bioceramic surfaces to promote osseointegration via proliferation of osteogenic and fibroblastic cells that support both hard and soft tissue integration to achieve long-term success under real world clinical conditions. The goal of this feasibility project is to develop and demonstrate these ECO bioceramic surfaces provide enhanced clinical utility for resorbable magnesium alloys in respect of reducing stress shielding, controlling resorption, minimizing effects of harmful corrosion and limit hydrogen release. In summary to provide an enabling surface technology for magnesium alloy-based implants to control resorption and lead to a new generation of metal alloy implants that deliver compatible mechanical characteristics falling within the range of bone and titanium alloys and that are higher than resorbable polymers.

For the benefits of patients and the overall healthcare system the strong yet resorbable implants reduce or eliminate the requirement for second surgeries to remove trauma implants, reducing emotional stress of additional surgery on the individual patients and reducing healthcare costs associated with conventional implant removal.

The project is a collaborative venture between BioCera (SME, the surface technology developer and coating provider) and the University of Portsmouth (the provider of characterisation work and in-vitro evaluation studies). The outcome is supporting a novel surface conversion technology that aims to improve biocompatibility, reduce corrosion and advance the application of resorbable magnesium alloys for medical implant applications.