Medical implants are devices that are placed in the human body for a long time and that replace or restore bodily functions. The downside of a medical implant is that it leads to secondary complications such as scarring (fibrosis) and infections. The interaction of adjacent body cells and tissues with the implant material plays an essential role in this. From this interaction we look for improvement points, but this search is extremely costly, risky and has a long lead time. New implant materials are only introduced in a limited way. It is therefore preferable to apply a (small) change to an existing material. But finding the right combination of properties (hydrophobicity, stiffness and surface structure) is looking for a proverbial pin in a haystack.North Netherlands is a leader in the field of implants and (bio)materials. There is an ecosystem with different specialisations from academia, companies and clinics.In the Biomedical Engineering department of the UMCG, a revolutionary technology has been developed that makes it possible to investigate no less than 10,000 different surface combinations in one experiment. The Groningen start-up BiomACS is the exclusive right to the technology. BiomACS has set itself the objective of developing the patented invention into a service with a proven effect. This further development is the subject of this application. Together with Departments of Vegetable Surgery and Medical Biology and Pathology of the UMCG, the PTFE material surface of an endovascular stent will be improved to reduce complications such as vascular leakage, stenosis and infection. An industrial partner, Bentley, supports development. A successful translation into a marketable design is a valuable catalyst for BiomACS to serve the global implant market. The BiomACS technology is highly innovative. The objectified evidence is present in the form of a patent. In a time frame of sometimes only days, thousands of physico-chemical properties can be screened. The optimal combination of properties can be applied directly to already approved and certified implant materials. The cost saving and time saving is huge! The derivative of the valorisation project, the endovascular stent, is sufficiently original to be recorded in a patent. The optimal combination of physico-chemical properties is determined with the BiomACS platform in a laboratory environment (TRL 5) to verify for stent material in tissues, cell culture and live pigs (TRL 6-7). The optimal combination of properties has not yet been established and applied to an endo-stent. A preliminary study has been carried out and a business plan has been drawn up. The economic and social value is high. The world market for implants is $200 billion. Almost all medical implants result in secondary complications and many types of material are suitable for screening. BiomACS’s earning model is based on a service concept and co-development of IP and resulting royalty payments. BiomACS contributes to a variety of sustainable, social and therefore financial challenges. Preventing reinventions is a stool of the healthcare system in an ageing population. BiomACS invests in research, innovation and employment in the medium term. The re-confirmation of the validity and clinical applicability of the BiomACS technology has a flywheel effect on future projects.
