E!9624 SmartBonePep

Konsortiet har hatt som mål om å utvikle et medisinsk implantat (SmartBonePep) som rettet mot den pediatriske benregenerering markedet, nærmere spesielt hjerneskalledefekter hos barn. Hyphotesen var at ein kunne kombinere xenograft partiklar kombinert med polymerer som er både vevsvennlege og nedbrytbare til å lage eit tett vekststativ for skallebein. I det nedbrytbare polymerer skulle vi legge inn peptider som skulle auke beincelle vekst. Vi har bevist både med laboratoriumstudier og dyreforsøk at både bein celler og stam celler festar seg bedre på slike vekststativ når peptider ertilstades. I tillegg fekk vi meir beindannelse på veksstativa.

The hypothesis of the current research proposal has been verified both by in vitro and in vivo experiments where one saw an synergistic effect of the peptide in combination with SmartBone(R). Not only did both bone cells and stem cells attached better to the bone graft with peptides, but the proliferation and differentiation increased.

Following a successful clinical study the consortium will sell on the market its new medical device (SmartBonePep). This innovative medical device is directed to the paediatric bone regeneration market. No satisfactory solutions for paediatric patients are today available, where main paediatric bone needs could be grouped in the following 3 categories: 1) trauma induced skull bone loss, 2) skull bone defects, 3) oncology requiring bone segment removal. Even if at a first glance these 3 clinical categories need completely different approaches, having different etiological profiles, they all share a common physiologic background that represents the fundamental of this project: key problem in paediatric bone tissue regeneration is dealing with a patient whose skeletal system is still physically growing. This reflects into some very specific needs that a paediatric bone graft must have: 1) being completely osteogenic, i.e. being capable of integrating with patient?s bone, becoming living bone; 2) supporting the continuous bone growth, from immediately after the implantation on; 3) having adequate mechanical performances to allow immediate loading and minimizing segment mobility impairment. No synthetic materials can cope with the first two needs. The result is that patients have to undergo a long series of surgical intervention for the regular removal of the prosthesis and its substitution with a bigger one. This is the source of very high cost , high risk and poor outcome. No solution is currently available in this context. SmartBone Pep is potentially capable in its different forms to cope with this issue