Oxford Performance Materials (OPM) has received a significant grant over three years from the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS). The $150,000is to explore new approaches to improve the treatment of infections from implanted devices, artificial hips and knees. These approaches will be via advanced applications of the companies propriatory 3D printed poly-ether-ketone-ketone (PEKK) technology. The results could be life changing for many patients and ease much suffering.
The NIH’s provided the funding to the Chief Scientific Officer, at OPM, Dr. Adam Hacking, PhD. Dr. Hacking said: “We are extremely grateful for the NIH support, as well as the peer reviewed process that recognized the magnitude of the clinical problem and the potential for advancement that our approach offers.”
Dr. Hacking has been the recipient of over $3.3 million in funding from the NIH, CIHR, EURDF and so forth. Dr. Hacking is also a recipient of the Otto Aufranc Award (Hip Society) for outstanding research related to total hip arthroplasty.
The overarching goal of this highly beneficial research will be to develop improved treatment methods for the infections that are at times associated with the implanted medical devices. The NIH grant will support research and development for new approaches in delivering antibiotics via Oxford Performance Materials’ PEKK implants.
Dr Hacking continued: “Device–related infections are a burdensome clinical issue that results in prolonged patient suffering, increased mortality, and are expected to cost $12 billion per year by 2015. With this support from the NIH, we have the potential to rapidly advance treatment for bone and joint infections, reduce healthcare costs, reduce patient suffering and improve patient care.”
