Osteopore (ASX:OSX) has signed a research collaboration agreement with the National University of Singapore Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine’s Department of Surgery and the National University Hospital (NUH) to investigate the potential for using its 3D printed implants in reconstructing lower jawbones.

Patients may need mandibular reconstruction from bone loss due to trauma or disease, and while there are treatments available, including grafts, they can lead to post-surgical complications and donor site morbidities.

There are an estimated two or three mandibular reconstructions per week at NUH, Osteopore says.

Osteopore, the Department of Surgery at NUS Yong Loon Lin School of Medicine and NUH Department of Surgery will work together on a preliminary study to see if Osteopore’s 3D printed products could be combined with bone marrow aspirates to regrow bone.

Osteopore says its implants have a unique advantage in that they are bioresorbable and can be custom manufactured to fit each patient.

The main objective of the collaboration is to gain pre-clinical data for the evaluation of future studies.

The project has a long development pathway and there’s no guarantee the company will be able to successfully commercialise the mandible products, Osteopore warned.

 

TGA approval in Australia

As previously reported, Osteopore has added the Australian Therapeutics Goods Administration (TGA) to its ‘pool room shelf’ of regulators who think its bone healing products, in this case for the skull and face, are worthy of joining the Australian market.

The Singapore-based medical device company is commercialising a range of 3D printed bioresorbable scaffolds for regenerative bone healing, and in this case for use as bone “void” fillers.

The TGA has approved for use in Australia the Osteomesh, Osteoplug, and Osteoplug-C products, which European and US regulators have already done, together with Singapore and other East Asian regulatory clearances.

This article was developed in collaboration with Osteopore, a Stockhead advertiser at the time of publishing.

This story does not constitute financial product advice. You should consider obtaining independent advice before making any financial decisions.

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