Inion's core biomaterials technology - Inion Optima™ - represents a range of proprietary biodegradable biomaterials with great potential for use in medical implants that enhance the healing of bone or soft tissue injuries to the skeleton, such as those caused by trauma or surgery. A key benefit of Inion Optima™ implants is that they provide support during the healing process and then they degrade in the body at a predictable rate into carbon dioxide and water safely and completely.
Fundamental to Inion’s approach is its detailed understanding of the healing process. Inion recognises that different types of injuries require fixation using implants with characteristics that provide the right combination of strength, rigidity, malleability and biodegradability to produce a successful clinical outcome. No single-polymer biodegradable or metal implant can produce this result.
By blending four safe and well-characterised rigid and elastic medical polymers in varying proportions, Inion has generated more than 40 Inion Optima™ blends. Typically, Inion OptimaTM implants decrease to 70% strength 9-14 weeks after implantation and degrade entirely in 2-4 years, but depending on the clinical requirements, these parameters can be optimised by varying the composition of the blend. Inion develops implants in consultation with leading surgeons, to ensure they meet specific clinical performance criteria.
Medical implants made from Inion Optima™, such as plates, pins and screws, can be made for the fixation of a wide range of fractures or soft tissue injuries (torn tendons or ligaments) throughout the skeleton. These implants offer a number of significant advantages over existing metal implants for patients, surgeons and other customers, including
Significantly reduced need for implant removal surgery thereby avoiding unnecessary risk and expense
No need for implant removal in growing children
Easy to fit implants, which can be moulded for an exact fit or fixed using keyhole surgery
More natural clinical result as implant degradation promotes a progressive shift of load to the new bone creating micro-motion and thereby avoiding bone atrophy due to ‘stress shielding’
Less chance of the implant providing platform for infection
No obstruction in treating repeat injuries and no obstruction to x-ray imaging
Simple and cost-effective to manufacture
Based on these benefits, Inion has developed a large range of medical implants based on its proprietary Inion Optima™ biomaterial, which are sold globally, and target important markets such as spinal surgery and orthopaedic trauma.
