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Osteopore enters into Orthopaedic research collaboration

KSGoh — Mon, 27 Mar 2023 23:34:17 +0000

Osteopore enters into Orthopaedic research collaboration

KSGoh Tue, 03/28/2023 - 07:34

Osteopore Limited (ASX:OSX), a revenue-generating manufacturer of regenerative implants that empower natural tissue regeneration, is pleased to announce that it has entered into a Research Collaboration with Maastricht University (MU), University Hospital Maastricht (MUMC), and a commercial-stage ortho-biologics company.

The clinical research project will study the treatment of large (> 5cm) posttraumatic bone defects using Osteopore’s custom implant made of Polycaprolactone (PCL) and Tricalcium Phosphate (TCP). Osteopore’s implants will be individually coated in a number of growth factors, including Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrate (BMAC) and an advanced bone graft biologic.

The implants will be tested against existing techniques, including the ‘gold standard’ bone graft, with scans to be taken at 6-month intervals to measure bone growth. The project is expected to run for up to 48 months, and will also investigate the efficacy of Osteopore’s implant coated in the bone graft biologic, in the case of a bacterial infection. This will determine whether bone growth can be maintained under the influence of a bacterial infection, and could lead to the co-development of a new product line.

The findings from this project will help Osteopore advance its broader Orthopaedics commercial strategy, and potentially assist with future regulatory clearances for our orthopaedic product range.

The collaborative project is co-financed with PPP allowance made available by Health~Holland, Top Sector Life Sciences & Health to stimulate public-private partnerships. Osteopore and its research partners will now work towards confirming a formal research and development program and will update the market as milestones are reached.

Executive Chairman, Mark Leong said; “This is a great early-stage, low capital-intensive research project that has promising potential. The project forms part of the Company’s strategy to develop and launch new products to expand the scope of bone regeneration applications across the entire body.”

Goh Khoon Seng, Global Marketing Director Osteopore

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Osteopore bolsters Scientific & Clinical Advisory Panel

KSGoh — Fri, 24 Mar 2023 00:40:42 +0000

Osteopore bolsters Scientific & Clinical Advisory Panel

KSGoh Fri, 03/24/2023 - 08:40

Osteopore Limited (ASX: OSX), a global leader in the manufacture of innovative regenerative implants that empower natural tissue regeneration, is pleased to introduce that Dr Rondhir Jithoo, Associate Professor Lim Thiam Chye, and Associate Professor Yeo Tseng Tsai, have joined our Scientific and Clinical Advisory Panel (SCAP).

Osteopore’s SCAP is comprised of renowned scientific and clinical experts in the fields of biomaterials, orthopedic surgery, plastic and reconstructive surgery, maxillofacial surgery, and dentistry. They work collaboratively with the Company to provide strategic advice and support, ensuring that our solutions are at the forefront of medical technology and tailored to meet the needs of healthcare professionals and patients alike.

Adding additional SCAP members underscores our commitment to excellence in research and development, and emphasizes our unwavering dedication to improving patient outcomes. We believe that our SCAP will play an instrumental role in driving the growth and success of Osteopore, and we look forward to working closely with this esteemed group of experts to deliver the best possible solutions to our customers.

Executive Chairman, Mark Leong said: “As a company that prides itself on innovation and excellence, we recognize the importance of collaboration and knowledge-sharing with the brightest minds in the scientific and clinical communities. The formation of our Scientific and Clinical Advisory Panel represents a significant step towards achieving our vision of transforming the way we regenerate tissue. We are honored to have the guidance and support of such esteemed experts and are excited to leverage their expertise to drive the continued success of Osteopore."

New Panel Members include :

Dr Rondhir Jithoo

Consultant Neurosurgeon

The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Australia

Mr Ron Jithoo is a highly experienced Neurosurgeon who obtained his medical degree from The University of Natal in South Africa where he graduated with a Dean’s Commendation. He also received the South African Society of Neurosurgeons prize as a registrar. Mr Jithoo is the chair of MAC Mulgrave Private Hospital and the secretary of the Neurosurgery Society of Australasia. He is also on the committee of several hospitals and medical associations and was previously the Deputy Director of Neurosciences at the Epworth Hospital. Mr Jithoo has an extensive interest in cranial and Spinal trauma, and anterior spinal surgery, including surgery for degenerative conditions. His skills have been enhanced through his work at Royal Darwin Hospital.

Associate Professor Lim Thiam Chye

Head & Senior Consultant (Plastic, Reconstructive & Aesthetic Surgery)

National University Hospital, Singapore

Associate Professor Lim Thiam Chye is the Head of the Division of Plastic, Reconstructive, and Aesthetic Surgery at the National University Hospital (Singapore) and Associate Professor at the National University of Singapore. He was also the Chairman AO Cranio-Maxillofacial (CMF) Asia-Pacific board. He holds more than 20 years of surgical experience in the Division of Plastic, Reconstructive, and Aesthetic Surgery at NUH. Associate Professor Lim has a wide range of publications, to date he has more than 66 publications in various medical Journals. Associate Professor Lim’s clinical and research work lies in regenerative medicine for bone, skin, and fat. He is also involved in the development and training of a navigational system for Craniomaxillofacial Surgery.

Associate Professor Yeo Tseng Tsai

Head & Senior Consultant (Neurosurgery)

National University Hospital

Associate Professor Yeo is the Head of the Division of Neurosurgery, the National University Hospital, Singapore. He is also the Medical Director of the Singapore Gamma Knife Centre. After undergoing his undergraduate medical training at the National University of Singapore and completing his National Service in the army from 1986 to 1988, he underwent postgraduate neurosurgery training in Melbourne, Australia, and obtained his exit neurosurgical qualifications (FRACS) in 1994. He then underwent further subspecialty training in stereotactic and functional neurosurgery in Toronto, Canada as well as in Seattle, USA, and Grenoble, France. He has been the recipient of numerous research grants over the years and has published widely in the neurosurgical literature in the domains of stereotactic and functional neurosurgery, neuro-oncology, head injury, and virtual reality neurosurgery.

Goh Khoon Seng, Global Marketing Director Osteopore

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Bringing 3D printing to the next level for sustainable healing

Admin — Mon, 21 Mar 2022 00:43:46 +0000

Bringing 3D printing to the next level for sustainable healing

Admin Mon, 03/21/2022 - 08:43

Three dimensional or “3D printing” is an additive manufacturing process that has been around for a while now – but is still guaranteed to attract attention. It produces a physical object from a digital design, and it’s been creating a buzz in the healthcare industry since the 1990s when dental implants and custom prosthetics took off.

While there are many different types of 3D printing available, we at Osteopore have been able to harness the technological advantage that 3D printing has over traditional manufacturing techniques. This has enabled us to create a microstructure that is representative of native bone while meeting gross geometrical needs of the reconstruction area and facilitates technology differentiation from other medical implant providers.

Specifically, we harness the body’s regenerative capacity to rebuild lost tissues and the bioresorbable materials in our implants leverage the combined technologies of tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, and 3D printing techniques.

3D printing technology allows us to make world-leading regenerative implants. Our bioresorbable implant is the first of its kind to be successfully developed and commercialized for surgical use, and we see this technology as the way of the future for healthcare.

When used appropriately, we find the solutions created with 3D printing regularly outperform traditional implant methods in terms of design and associated long-term healthcare costs.

3D printing allows the creation of complex geometries that copy the shape and function of natural bone and allows efficient productization particularly in customised implants.

Given the complex nature of bone microarchitecture, it is not a matter of course that production can happen at cost effective scale – and 3D manufacturing gives us that option.

With improvements to technology, we can go down the path of automation, producing our implants around-the-clock and even remotely; there is a compelling commercial industrial argument for the technology alongside medical rationale and uniqueness of what is possible.

But most importantly for us, 3D printing is actually reshaping what implants can do, and how patients can be treated – often patient comfort and experience during recovery is improved.

Additive manufacturing’s role in the medical field continues to develop and mature, and while in some medical specialties the hype of 3D printing has gone down – the true value that 3D printing can provide to this field will be recognized once the industry understands and accepts the technology and its benefits.

The compelling argument for the technology is that it has the unique combination of being able to produce something as specific and particular as the biomimetic architecture at Osteopore, as well as its scalability at the same time.

From our perspective, 3D printing is consistent and reproducible. It allows us to be in a position that suggests we have considered the manufacturing of products at scale and that we can produce them in a way that meets quality standards.

So, let us look at a breakdown of 3D printing from Osteopore’s perspective.

Choice of 3D Printing

We use Fused Deposition Modelling, or Fused Filament Fabrication as it has been more recently called. This method of 3D printing is so far one of the most reliable and reproducible among other techniques, and hence is suited to producing our parts and design. In addition, the microstructure that we incorporate into our products can be consistently reproduced in good quality using this method. Also, the physical properties of parts produced by this method of 3D printing fit well with the needs of our application area.

What are the available products?

Our available products include Osteomesh, Osteoplug, and Osteoplug-C in various sizes. These are available off-the-shelf to allow surgeons quick access to products so that they can treat patients as soon as possible. In addition, we provide customized implants designed based on patient’s and surgeon’s treatment plan.

What are bone graft substitutes?

Traditionally, bone graft substitutes are derived from animal, cadaveric, or synthetic sources. They are used to fill bone voids in the skeletal system. Although their particulate nature allows them to fill irregularly sized bone voids easily, they do not provide structural support to the skeletal system. As a result, they are mostly used in smaller areas of bone loss, or in areas of lower stress activation.

Why is porosity necessary?

Porosity is a basic requirement for bone ingrowth and blood vessel ingrowth. It is also representative of the natural structure of bone: a highly porous and interconnected pore system. Without an interconnected pore system, bone tissue may consequently grow around the implant rather than through the implant – this may not lead to the intended outcomes of bridging and providing support to the skeletal system.

How does 3D printing create consistent porosity?

3D printing with our microstructure allows us to define the pore spaces and reproduce them consistently. In this way, the consistency of providing open channels for bone and vessel ingrowth is guaranteed.

What is the largest implant Osteopore has printed?

The largest implant we have produced is 36cm in length and was implanted in an Australian patient in Queensland for a shin bone reconstruction surgery. He has since recovered well and is able to ambulate without crutches.

How 3D printing enables our implant to work?

The pillars of tissue engineering include scaffolds, cells, and growth factors. In our technology, we provide a scaffold that is bioresorbable and designed to allow cells and growth factors to be incorporated at the point of surgery. In our off-the-shelf products, cells and growth factors can grow into the scaffold structure due to the open pore system.

How does the Osteopore design facilitate bio-stimulation?

The combination of our choice of material, 3D printing technique, and pore design allows the scaffold to withstand some level of compression forces. This is important as it allows these forces to be transmitted to cells for them to experience appropriate levels of mechanical stimulation to aid in bone repair and growth.

Dr Lim Yujing, Executive Director, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Technology Of…

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What are bioresorbable implants and why Osteopore is committed to them

KSGoh — Fri, 11 Feb 2022 00:58:43 +0000

What are bioresorbable implants and why Osteopore is committed to them

KSGoh Fri, 02/11/2022 - 08:58

At Osteopore, we are global leaders in the design and manufacture of regenerative biomimetic scaffolds. Our bioresorbable implant is the first of its kind to be successfully developed and commercialised for surgical use.

Our implants facilitate natural bone growth across a void – and are made of a bioresorbable polymer that is designed to be metabolized into water and carbon dioxide within the body after performing its function, leaving only natural, healthy bone.

The word “bioresorbable” means biodegradable, and naturally absorbed. To give an example, a bioresorbable stent or stitches are eventually absorbed by the body over time. In implant dentistry, bioresorbable materials are often used in guided bone regeneration, or bone grafts.

Osteopore has specifically chosen to use bioresorbable polymers as the nature of this material makes it particularly well-suited to use in craniofacial, orthopaedic and dental surgery. It disappears over time thereby avoiding almost all post-surgery complications commonly associated with permanent implants.

How do Osteopore implants participate in the repair of a broken bone?

A broken bone heals naturally in four stages, as illustrated in the diagram below:

the formation of hematoma at the break
the formation of a fibrocartilaginous callus
the formation of a bony callus
remodelling and addition of compact bone

Osteopore implants participate in this process by providing a conducive and organized matrix to direct the healing process. These scaffolds are particularly useful in the bridging of bone voids that the body is unable to heal on its own.

How is regeneration effected in Osteopore’s implants?

Osteopore combines 3D printing with bioresorbable polycaprolactone (PCL) to create a conducive environment for bone cells and blood vessels to grow into. As PCL degrades and is absorbed by the body over a period of 18-24 months, natural tissue regeneration occurs and eventually the patient’s own natural bone takes over.

The diagram below illustrates the process further:

How can we improve bone regeneration in challenging cases?

Due to the unique microstructure, Osteopore’s implants are easily combined with various biological components that are derived from the patient, such as platelet rich plasma/fibrin and bone marrow. To improve the regenerative potential of our implants, further research and development is possible based on our manufacturing process being amenable to the addition of growth stimulants such as tricalcium phosphate and magnesium, both of which are natural components of human bone.

Goh Khoon Seng, Global Marketing Director Osteopore

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3D Printing Enables Microarchitecture Required in Biomimetic Scaffolds

KSGoh — Fri, 11 Feb 2022 00:56:28 +0000

3D Printing Enables Microarchitecture Required in Biomimetic Scaffolds

KSGoh Fri, 02/11/2022 - 08:56

The science of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine aims to provide surgeons with a sustainable solution to patients undergoing reconstructive surgery.

At Osteopore, innovation is at the forefront of our minds. As we have mentioned before, a safe and effective design isn’t only necessary – rather, the device must lead to a considerable improvement in the lives of patients while simultaneously relieving pressure on medical resources.

Our 3D-printed biomimetic scaffold design imitates the interconnected pores necessary to facilitate the stages of tissue healing.

The advances in 3D printing technology presented us with a rare opportunity to bring our ideas to fruition, enabling the creation of Osteopore’s unique scaffold microarchitecture – that is the carefully designed shape, size and interconnectivity of the porous structure used to bridge the void in bone defects.

The shape and size of the structure promotes cell retention and cell proliferation while in the scaffold. This interconnectivity supports angiogenesis (the vascularisation by capillaries) that transport cells, growth factors, nutrients and ensures the necessary gas exchanges deep inside the scaffold.

To date, we are the only company to successfully commercialise this know-how, and we see it as a technological innovation that will change the medical industry – and lives – for the better.

The development of our proprietary 3D-printing technology enabled the production of the implant microarchitecture for tissue regeneration at scale, making us world leaders in this field.

Testing has confirmed that the microarchitecture developed by Osteopore balances strength and cell proliferation with consistent effectiveness.

The challenge presents itself in determining the most effective trade-off between scaffold strength and porosity. When the pores are very small, the scaffold will be very strong, but cell proliferation will be hampered, and healing negatively impacted.

The opposite is also true, larger pore size will improve porosity, but will certainly compromise structural integrity.

We have published two 10-year clinical studies which demonstrates the safety and efficacy of this effective platform technology, and over the past 12 years our quality system has been rigorously evaluated by regulatory agencies.

We are committed to continue to design, manufacture and distribute our platform technology to ensure that we remain leaders in this dynamic and promising scientific field.

Goh Khoon Seng, Global Marketing Director Osteopore

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Regrowing Damaged Body Parts: How One Australian-listed Company is Making it Accessible

KSGoh — Tue, 19 Oct 2021 01:01:57 +0000

Regrowing Damaged Body Parts: How One Australian-listed Company is Making it Accessible

KSGoh Tue, 10/19/2021 - 09:01

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Osteopore, an Australian and Singapore based leader in regenerative implants on a commercial scale, is developing technology that enables widespread adoption of tissue engineering. Despite the global average life expectancy rising by more than 6 years between 1999 to 2000, the average number of years spent in good health over the same period does not reflect this increase, according to the WHO. To reduce this gap, many turn to tissue engineering to push the boundaries of traditional medicine.

Challenges in Tissue Engineering

Growing organs outside the body, then putting it back inside to ultimately improve your health and change your life — almost seems unreal. This technique is called in-vitro tissue engineering: functionally mature tissue structures are recreated in a bioreactor to replace tissue in the body. It sounds futuristic, but it is becoming reality.

However, in-vitro tissue engineering must overcome a number of concerns before it can be clinically implemented and commercialised.

Finding enough cells that are acceptable to our immune system is not simple. There are also challenges in terms of the availability and scaling-up capability of in-vitro tissue engineering. Cost-effectiveness, preservation and handling also present problems.

The Two Techniques in Tissue Engineering

At Osteopore, we have developed and commercialised a more direct way of applying tissue engineering concepts to achieve clinical impact. Rather than implanting cells or organs into a body from an external source, in-situ tissue engineering recruits endogenous stem cells (cells created within the living organism) to the site of an injury by using biomaterial with 3D microarchitecture and/or growth-factor-based cues to enhance healing.

With in-situ tissue engineering, we are looking at medical products that interface with blood, blood vessels and cells — working in proposed harmony with your body’s natural functions. By doing so, we harness the intrinsic regenerative potential of the body to regrow tissue, as opposed to creating it wholesale in an in-vitro environment.

A recent study by the Biomedical Engineering Society www.bmes.org looked closely at the differences between in-vitro and in-situ tissue engineering, finding in-situ tissue engineering represents a promising new avenue of regenerative therapy research.

In-situ tissue engineering represents the future; not only for Osteopore but potentially for the medical devices industry as a whole because it is less onerous from a regulatory standpoint, it is a more scalable and cost-effective solution, it is a more familiar process to the surgical community, and it has favourable long-term, lasting impacts.

Learn more about the differences between these two techniques in our full article here:

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Goh Khoon Seng, Global Marketing Director Osteopore

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In-vitro vs in-situ tissue engineering. What are the differences?

KSGoh — Thu, 02 Sep 2021 23:31:09 +0000

In-vitro vs in-situ tissue engineering. What are the differences?

KSGoh Fri, 09/03/2021 - 07:31

There is a lot of hype around in-vitro tissue engineering, because ‘growing an organ in a lab’ appears futuristic. To many people, it seems like an exciting concept.

Growing something outside of the body, then putting it back inside to ultimately improve your health and change your life – almost seems unreal. But it is becoming reality.

However, in many cases in-vitro tissue engineering is also expensive, time-consuming and under-developed. It takes time to grow cells and tissue; and there is no guarantee the cells and tissues grown are viable and not mutated.

At Osteopore, we are looking at a more direct way of applying tissue engineering concepts to achieve clinical impact. In-situ tissue engineering is a more cost-effective and reproducible alternative to in-vitro tissue engineering because of quality control and we can consistently repeat the same desired results.

With in-situ tissue engineering, we are looking at medical products that interface with blood, blood vessels and cells – working in proposed harmony with how your body already functions.

It essentially harnesses the native regenerative potential of the body to regenerate tissue, as opposed to creating it wholesale in an in-vitro environment.

Rather than implanting cells into a body from an external source, in-situ tissue engineering looks to recruit endogenous stem cells (cells created within a living organism) to the site of an injury by using biomaterial with 3D microarchitecture and/or growth-factor-based cues to enhance healing.

When it comes to in-situ tissue engineering, any construct that is implanted into the body is not a fully-functional, full-size replacement of the lost tissue – rather, the constructs look to grow with and enhance the pre-existing regenerative capabilities of the human body.

On the other hand, in-vitro tissue engineering creates functional tissue that can be used to replace tissue in the body and has a number of practical uses in terms of studying biological processes – leading to significant advances in the area of regenerative medicine.

In-vitro tissue engineering aims to recreate tissue structures that are functionally mature in a bioreactor, which creates a template for how that tissue will behave inside a living organism.

But in-vitro tissue also faces a number of concerns before successful standard-of-care implementation in humans. Finding enough cells that are acceptable to the immune system is not simple, and there are also challenges in terms of the availability and scaling-up capability of in-vitro tissue engineering. Cost-effectiveness, preservation and handling also present problems.

A recent study by the Biomedical Engineering Society www.bmes.org looked closely at the differences between in-vitro and in-situ tissue engineering, finding in-situ tissue engineering represents a promising new avenue of regenerative therapy research.

In-situ tissue engineering represents the future for not only Osteopore but potentially the medical devices industry as a whole because: it is less onerous from a regulatory standpoint; it is a more scalable and cost-effective solution; it is a more familiar process to the surgical community; and it has long-term, lasting impacts.

Goh Khoon Seng, Global Marketing Director Osteopore

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