BiLaTex - New generation of bioactive laser textured Ti/HAP implants

Website

biomaterialypk.pl/bilatex

Project duration

2023 - 2026

Project Category

M-ERA.NET

Contact Information

prof. dr. Mitjan Kalin

Partners

  • Cracow University of Technology (Poland)
  • Tallinn University of Technology (Estonia)
  • ATMAT Sp. z o.o. (Poland)

Soft tissues and bone diseases affect hundreds of millions worldwide. The loss of bone tissue due to trauma or disease represents a clinical problem affecting more than 20 million people annually worldwide, with significant health, social, and economic consequences. Scorecard for Osteoporosis in Europe (SCOPE) data provides the related annual costs related to osteoporosis are €37.5 billion (in 2010 in the 29 EU Member States) with loss of 1 million Quality Adjusted Life Years (QALYs). The costs related to osteoporosis care - fragility fracture treatment and pharmacological costs increased to an even greater amount in 2019 (€56.9 billion, +64%). Moreover, unavoidable accidental injuries causing incessant growth in demand for implants for long bone defects or load bearing applications.

The strategic goal of this project is to strengthen interdisciplinary research from TRL 2 to TRL 4 in order to demonstrate innovative material systems and methods to prepare implants for regenerative medicine.

One of the innovation objective is in the development of new generation of gradient Ti/HAp composite biomaterials fabricated by controlled thermodynamic powder metallurgy (PM), casting techniques, and additively manufactured complex biomimetic functionally graded Triple periodic minimal surfaces (TPMS) by selective laser melting/sintering (SLM/S). Next distinguished innovative objective of the “BiLaTex” project is utilizing laser texturing (LT) techniques formation of the well-defined tiny pockets opening underlying porosity improving the cell transport and cell growth. Moreover, the laser pockets will serve as small storage sites for an anti-inflammatory drug and/or bioactive components in order to improve healing process after implantation. Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) 3D printing of PLA (polylactide) on the dimples will be used in order to close the dimples and protect the bioactive material.

The technology concepts cover the whole innovation chain from sintering of materials via advanced PM route and AM through a selective laser sintering and melting (SLS/SLM) up to structuring the implant surface by laser texturing and incorporation of biologically active component by 3D printing technology.

The expected results of the “BiLaTex” project are:

✔ Design and simulation of biomimetic load-bearing structures and selection of optimal architectures for the bone-mimicking implant, with cortical and trabecular bone components, to repair bone critical-sized defects.

✔ Development of innovative biomimetic functionally graded TPMS Ti implants, which synergistically increase the healing effect in human body bone defects, using AM approach through SLM/S

✔ Cost reduction of the implants production through the modification of top surface of Ti-alloy cast with gradient PM Ti/HAp layer

✔ Ensuring rich supply of biologically active components through achieving desired pore structure on the implantable biomaterial utilizing LT technique

✔ Possibility of the application of multi-functional implant to be served under diverse cyclic loading conditions and in multiple human body fluids with osteoblast-like cell line

✔ Boosting the bio-functionality of the implants through FDM 3D printing of the biologically active component (anti-inflammatory drug or growth factors)

✔ Minimalization of the anti-microbial activity of biomaterial through sterilization system included in 3D printer with closed chamber.

The “BiLaTex” will beneficially contribute to improving the reliability of hard tissue engineering processes in a variety of application such as knee or hip joint regeneration medicine, osteoporosis and osteoarthritis treatment. The proposed work offers the beneficial potential to create advanced materials and components with a superior properties and new functionalities, which will enhance the competitiveness of the European healthcare.