An in vitro study conducted in conjunction with the University of Connecticut Health Center, Department of Orthopedic Surgery observed the cellular response of human primary osteoblasts to Invibio’s PEEK-OPTIMA polymer compared with grade-1, commercially pure titanium (cpTi). The findings were presented in a poster session at the Society for Biomaterials annual meeting. The research indicates that the in vitro performance of unfilled PEEK-OPTIMA polymer and carbon fiber-reinforced PEEK-OPTIMA compound measured against common indicators of cytocompatibility (such as adhesion, growth, and differentiation) is comparable to that of grade-1 cpTi, which is commonly used as a first choice material for dental implants. Furthermore, the study shows some similarities with findings for other biomaterials in that different cell responses can occur depending on the composition, roughness, and other topographical features of the material generated during common manufacturing techniques (such as polishing, injection molding, or machining). The study, using a well-developed in vitro model published by researchers, observed differentiated bone cells and mineralization upon the PEEK-OPTIMA surfaces, which was comparable to the titanium controls. This latest observation, along with the growing number of published findings using the polymer, suggests that PEEK-OPTIMA may lend itself to osseointegration. The polymer is currently used for a wide range of medical device applications either alone or as a vehicle for additional surface enhancements, such as coatings. “PEEK-OPTIMA polymer is being examined and adopted as an alternative to titanium in the development of implantable medical devices because of its exceptional biocompatibility, physical, mechanical and imaging properties,” said Lynne Todd, technical director of Invibio.
(Source: Invibio Biomaterials Solutions news release, April 2007)
