PEKK holds the key to eliminating implant infections

Oxford Performance Materials has received a three-year, $150,000 grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to explore treatment of infections related to artificial hips, knees and other implanted devices through 3D printed poly-ether-ketone-ketone (PEKK).

The NIH's National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) provided the funding to Dr. Adam Hacking, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer at OPM. The long-term goal of this research is to develop improved methods to treat infections associated with implanted devices. The NIH grant will support research developing new approaches for the delivery of antibiotics through OPM's 3D printed PEKK implants.

"We are extremely grateful for the NIH support, as well as the peer reviewed process that recognised the magnitude of the clinical problem and the potential for advancement that our approach offers," said Dr. Hacking. "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."

Dr. Hacking continued, "3D printing has enabled the combination of a load-bearing implantable material, PEKK, with the simplicity, flexibility and availability of perfusable drug delivery systems. Perfusion is a desirable approach since nearly all therapeutics are deliverable in solution. Perfusion also enables the initiation, change, cessation or restoration of therapeutic delivery at any point in time."

This multidisciplinary research program involves established and productive experts in infectious disease, orthopedic surgery, chemical engineering, fluid dynamics and biomedical engineering from the Dept. of Orthopedics at the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), Harvard Medical School and the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences at Harvard University.