It ’s Time for New Medtech Materials—Could Academia Help?
The medtech industry is mostly still using the same polymers and metallic materials used 60 years ago, says Jeremy J. Harris, Ph.D., director, research, for Secant Group. âThereâs been little introduction of new materials,â with the exception of resorbables, he told MD+DI. But âas medical technology advances, such as it is in regenerative medicine and tissue engineering, thereâs a greater demand for new materials.â
Such insufficiency can result in a âcompliance mismatchâ between devices and tissue, he said. âThereâs a difference in the physical properties of devices versus those of tissues. Weâve come a long way in understanding tissue response, so now thereâs a need to best match the physical properties of the device to that of the tissue.â
For instance, when the industry first started using certain materials years ago, âit looked at whether they were inert or resulted in a minimal inflammatory response or whether they matched the tensile strength of bone, for instance,â Harris said. âAs we move into new therapies, itâs not just the physical properties that are importantâitâs now also understanding the biological interactions between the m...
Source: MDDI - Category: Medical Devices Authors: Daphne Allen Tags: Materials Source Type: news
More News: Academia | Cardiology | Cardiovascular | Cardiovascular & Thoracic Surgery | Contracts | Heart | Medical Devices | Science