PRIOBONE · A 3D-printable biomimetic bone regeneration material

Critical-size bone defects do not heal spontaneously over the patient’s lifetime and cause substantial individual, societal and economic burden. Current treatment options are hampered by associated complications, poor functional or aesthetic outcomes, a limited availability of tissue for bone grafts, and high financial costs. Worldwide, more than 4 million surgeries per year require bone grafts or substitute materials. Consequently, there is a significant clinical and economic need for novel treatments for critical-size bone defects. In PRIOBONE, we propose the validation and steps towards exploitation of our newly developed, bone-mimetic 3D-printable material for bone repair. Our PRIOBONE material has the potential to outperform current treatments and alternative solutions on the market due to its biomimetic composition, excellent cytocompatibility, osteoinductive capacity, ideal mechanical properties, and its 3D printability into any desired shape. This allows us to create implants optimized for clinical and individual patient needs. This includes, e.g., the possibility to print the material into foldable and deployable 3D designs that allow a minimally invasive insertion of the material into defect sites, where it can re-expand. The use of well-established components and our “materials-only” approach will enable a faster track to clinical application and regulatory approval in comparison to approaches containing biologicals such as cells or previously unknown components. In PRIOBONE, we will validate our material for bone regeneration, undertake a comprehensive market analysis, explore target leads and transfer pathways, and elaborate our IP strategy towards commercialization. Following successful validation, we expect that PRIOBONE will provide a cost-efficient, individualizable alternative to current treatments with the potential to significantly lower the economic, individual and social burden of critical-size bone defects.