3D Printed Spinal Implants: RTI Surgical Granted Exclusive License to OPM OsteoFab Technology Platform

It’s just been announced that RTI Surgical, one of the leading surgical implant providers for surgeons all over the world, has also just been granted an exclusive license by Oxford Performance Materials, Inc. that will allow them to market OPM’s OsteoFab technology platform for spinal applications in all US markets. Their implants are extremely important to the contemporary medical world that–quite literally–operates on the cutting edge, as the devices promote on-growth, which is the contact between an implant and the actual bone of the patient.

“We are thrilled to announce this agreement with Oxford Performance Materials,” said Brian K. Hutchison, President and CEO of RTI Surgical. “OsteoFab is an incredibly exciting technology that creates new opportunities for innovation in the spinal implant market. We look forward to working with OPM to offer our customers and their patients a new alternative for spinal implants.”

OPM, highly recognized for their achievements in both 3D printing and HPAM–high performance additive manufacturing—has developed a range of advanced materials which center around a polymer known as poly-ether-ketone-ketone. Through exploiting this particular polymer, OPM has been able to develop numerous manufacturing solutions for those involved in sectors such as biomedical, aerospace, and other industrial markets. This has all happened as a result of using their OXPEKK polymer formulation, along with their specialized 3D printing.

OsteoFab is their next-generation implant manufacturing process that builds implantable medical devices, layer-by-layer, using only laser light and OPM’s OXPEKK polymer, a proprietary high-performance biocompatible polymer formulation, designed specifically for medical applications. It is described as a strong, pure, radiolucent, hydrophilic, load-bearing material—and OPM states that it has had a very successful history in orthopedic implant applications.

With this agreement, the plan between the two companies is for OPM to make RTI’s spinal implant designs using the innovative OsteoFab technology. Once that is completed, RTI will step in and handle the following:

• Finishing
• Packaging
• Marketing
• Distribution

“We see RTI Surgical as a growth company in the spinal implant space,” said Scott DeFelice, Chairman and CEO of OPM. “RTI is a leading developer of medical implants with a long history of putting sound science behind their products. From the outset, RTI has worked closely with us and we look forward to a lengthy and productive relationship that leverages the unique benefits of OsteoFab technology to improve patient care.”

Headquartered in Alachua, FL, RTI Surgical provides surgeons with both metal and synthetic implants which are used in sports medicine, general surgery as well as spine, orthopedic, trauma and cardiothoracic procedures. They have four manufacturing facilities throughout the US and Europe.

OPM, headquartered in South Windsor, CT, is a company we’ve been following for the last couple of years, from the release of craniofacial implants to the inception of their 3D printed spinal implants. They have long been a leader in 3D printing with numerous accomplishments in the development of advanced materials technologies. Discuss in the RTI 3D Printed Spinal Implant forum over at 3DPB.com.