Medical
The medical additive manufacturing sector – which is starting now to include some areas of bioprinting – is today one of the largest adopters of 3D printing technologies for the production of consumer-targeted, end-use items, including prosthetics and orthotics, implants, devices and physical models.
In this month’s AM Focus on medical additive manufacturing, we are going to hear from some of the large companies and innovative startups that have taken the possibilities offered by AM in various medical fields to new heights and built this sector into what can already be described as a multi-billion dollar opportunity.
The use of 3D printing technologies extends well beyond 3D printed implants. Surgical guides and pre-surgical models are widespread, so much so that they can, in a way, be compared to the broad adoption of AM for prototyping and tooling in the industrial manufacturing arena.
Leading AM hardware manufacturers, such as 3D Systems, EnvisionTEC, EOS and SLM Solutions, along with leading global service providers like Oerlikon, Jabil and Materialise, are investing heavily to develop both medical and dental AM applications. Medical product powerhouses like Stryker, DePuy Synthes, Zimmer Biomet (these two merged in 2015), and Smith & Nephew, are conducting R&D with AM for a range of innovative devices. Stryker was among the earliest adopters along with medium size international firm Lima Corporate.
The list of orthopedic contract manufacturers offering AM production services today is growing rapidly, with 3dpbm’s Index listing nearly 50 manufacturers of varying sizes. Some of these companies have been utilizing AM in a significant manner for more than a decade and are beginning to look beyond just the design and production of existing implant types in titanium using additive manufacturing.
While the benefits of AM technologies for personalized medicine and more efficient surgical practices are well documented, several hurdles still exist that are limiting a more widespread adoption of these key technologies in hospitals and medical practices. Several of these hurdles are inherent to AM technologies and related material availability, however, the biggest challenges result from a general lack of awareness and skepticism, resulting in a slow pace of adoption.
Today, significant strides are being taken—mainly in the private segment—toward the development of advanced polymers, metals and ceramics fit for implantation in humans. The private dental segment is going through a full-size boom in the adoption of AM technologies and processes. With this month’s AM Focus we hone in on the latest advancements and take a look at the upcoming opportunities for medical AM.
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Prellis Biologics appoints new CEO and raises $35 million
Prellis Biologics, a biotherapeutics company utilizing its proprietary, high-resolution bioprinting technology to recreate and engineer human tissues in vitro, has appointed Michael Nohaile, PhD as its new CEO, and has raised a $35 million Series C funding round, co-led by Celesta Capital and Avidity Partners with participation from Khosla Ventures,…
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BellaSeno starts clinical trials of resorbable chest and breast implants
BellaSeno GmbH, an ISO 13485-certified MedTech company developing resorbable chest and breast implant scaffolds using additive manufacturing technologies, began two clinical trials of its products in Australia, which are sponsored by its Australian subsidiary BellaSeno Pty. Already, recruiting has started in Brisbane, Australia. The first trial is expected to enroll…
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Stryker opens new 3D printing facility in Anngrove, Cork
Stryker, one of the world’s leading medical technology companies, has opened its high-tech 3D printing facility at Anngrove, Cork – marked by a visit from Taoiseach Micheál Martin TD, the IDA, and other local guests. The new 156,000-square-foot development creates capacity for 600 high-tech jobs in the future and will…
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MyBone 3D printed bone implant approved for patients in Europe
Surgeons in Europe now have access to MyBone, a patient-specific 3D printed bone, to treat patients with severe facial deformations. This 3D printed bone is made of hydroxyapatite, a calcium phosphate that is the main mineral component of natural bone. MyBone is 3D printed with a unique porous structure by…
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Intertronics supports University of Sheffield with bioelectronics research
When the Department of Automatic Control and Systems Engineering (ACSE) at The University of Sheffield was looking for a way to accurately 3D print bioelectronic sensors, it reached out to Intertronics for support. The company supplied mixing and dispensing equipment to improve the consistency and quality of the mix –…
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ActivArmor and Fusion3 offer in-clinic custom 3D printed cast fabrication
Biomedical technology company, ActivArmor, through its partnership with US-based 3D printer manufacturer, Fusion3, is expanding its distribution model to bring the company’s hygienic, waterproof, plastic custom cast fabrication directly into hospitals and clinics across the country. ActivArmor’s 3D printed casts are the only sanitizable cast on the market – which…
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Triastek collaborates with Lilly on 3D printing for oral delivery of drugs
Triastek, Inc., a company specializing in 3D printing of pharmaceuticals, entered into a collaboration with Eli Lilly and Company, a leading global pharmaceutical company, to leverage the advantages of MED 3D printing technology to enable precisely targeted and programmed release of drugs in specific regions of the GI tract. According…
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Carl Zeiss Meditec and Precise Bio to develop fabricated corneal tissue
Carl Zeiss Meditec, one of the world’s leading medical technology companies, and Precise Bio, a regenerative medicine company advancing the use of bio-printed tissues and organs, have entered into a partnership to develop and commercialize fabricated corneal tissue for transplants in patients that require endothelial keratoplasty and natural lenticule transplants…
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My3D Personalized Pelvic Reconstruction receives 501(k) clearance
Onkos Surgical, a leading innovator of solutions for musculoskeletal oncology and complex orthopedic procedures, has received 510(k) clearance for its My3D Personalized Pelvic Reconstruction system – the first of its kind solution that includes 3D printed implants, instruments, and models, as well as an advanced planning service to treat deformity,…
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SJD Barcelona Children’s Hospital uses 3D printing to resect tumor
The pediatric maxillofacial surgery team at the SJD Barcelona Children’s Hospital (SJD) has used BCN3D’s 3D printing technology to successfully perform a complicated operation to resect a malignant tumor in an 11-year-old boy. The medical team led by Dr. Josep Rubio, head of the maxillofacial surgery unit at SJD Barcelona…
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