Tilmann Petersen, head of business development medtech & corporate planning, AMSilk, shares how to optimise interactions between the human body and implants.
Over the last decade, we have seen a lot of improvements and developments made within the implants industry, whether it be in the quality of silicone or the improved texture of implant surface. The mission for the next decade is to optimise the interactions between the implants and the human body, reducing the risk of rejection, infection and capsular formation.
AMSilk is a biotechnology company developing a range of vegan silk biopolymers that can be applied in various medical devices. The overall aim is to enhance the biocompatibility of medical devices. The properties of such coated implants include anti-adhesion and increased hydrophilicity.
This results in reduced inflammation and capsular formation, less invasive stress and better handling during surgical procedure.
One problem with implants is in some cases the body can identify it as a foreign object and cause the immune system to respond and reject it. If the body attacks the implant, it can result in serious complications such as pain, infection or capsular formation, all of which can require further surgery.
Spider silk coatings have the potential to prevent infection-caused inflammation and to reduce post-operative issues caused by implants, minimising the risk of further medical intervention. Together with its biocompatibility and biodegradability properties, biofabricated spider silk has the potential to be part of a strategy to reduce complications of implant applications.
As well as reducing the risk of implants being rejected, spider silk coatings can prevent infections by forming a surface on which bacteria cannot grow. Engineered spider silk coatings work by creating a ‘bioshield’, a non-stick surface which has an anti-adhesive effect on bacteria so that it does not adhere to the implant shielding it from bacteria and thus infection. This unique silk technology is safe and bioharmonic for the human body, and is also non-immunogenic, non-inflammatory and non-toxic.
Biofabricated coatings have the potential to become a powerful tool in the fight against antimicrobial resistance (AMR). AMR is a major concern, with medical procedures such as surgery becoming extremely difficult, or even impossible, due to an increase in resistant infections. AMR has the potential to affect people at any stage of life with resistance to even one antibiotic causing serious problems. Many medical advances are dependent on the ability to fight infections using antibiotics.
Current pharmaceutical coatings available on the market can have high antibacterial effects however, this can create an environment that’s difficult to control. Non-active ingredients, such as AMSilk’s, promote a positive acceptance of implants and limit negative body reactions in a controlled way.
The unique biofabrication process reprogrammes microbes enabling them to produce silk proteins. The microbes are grown in large-scale stainless-steel vessels, fed with natural and renewable raw materials such as sugar. Upon a trigger, they start to produce the silk proteins. The biofabricated silk polymers are vegan, completely biodegradable and produced only with renewable resources, and thus are truly environmentally friendly making a contribution to a future zero-waste society.
In the near future, we will need new directions concerning the fight against infections, which have to be far beyond the simple use of antibiotics. In this respect, coatings made of silk proteins are an important step towards a new generation of biocompatible surfaces and bioharmonic solutions to better patient outcomes after surgery.
The multiple benefits of silk polymers can be adapted to the needs of various market segments, enhanced skin comfort whilst also improving bacteriostatic and hygienic properties. These individually developed solutions will enable the medical sector to address industry challenges in the best possible way.