I-Corps: Development of a bioengineered organic matrix for enhanced bone regeneration

目前，合成骨替代物是设计不良的材料，不能有效诱导新骨形成。使用这些产品会增加骨愈合延迟的风险。骨基质蛋白（BMPs）刺激新骨形成，但价格昂贵，并且已知会对患者造成不良影响，如FDA最近所记录的。该团队开发了一种具有成本效益的有机生物材料，用于增强骨矿化和骨科再生。通过使用采用上述骨蛋白的创新材料设计方法，该项目旨在将一类新的混合有机基质商业化，该基质可以显着增强新骨组织的生长。 骨替代物的发展旨在改变骨科再生医学的范式。这项工作的成功将迎来一类新的生物工程基质，安全地诱导新骨形成，防止骨不连的发生。骨移植手术的效率提高将直接转化为降低医院成本和改善患者预后。非胶原蛋白（NCPs）骨钙素（OC）和骨桥蛋白（OPN）是骨的构建块，在矿化过程中由细胞释放到细胞外环境中，OC和OPN被认为是骨基质质量的强有力调节剂，强烈影响骨的机械完整性。NCP作为连接蛋白将骨基质的胶原和矿物质相连接在一起，并作为骨矿物质性质的调节剂。 由于NCP与骨基质中的矿物质和胶原蛋白相的相互作用，NCP的自我修复潜力使其成为骨科再生领域探索的理想候选者。通过为身体提供这些骨骼构建模块，该团队寻求实现增强的矿化和加速的骨骼再生。 该团队正在制造和表征含有NCP的胶原蛋白基质，现在需要通过体外和体内研究对其进行表征和功效测试。 与临床医生和天使投资人的初步对话使该团队相信，成功的疗效测试将是其创新商业化的重要里程碑。

Currently, synthetic bone substitutes are poorly designed materials that do not effectively induce new bone formation. Use of these products increases risk of delayed bone healing. Bone matrix proteins (BMPs) stimulate new bone formation, but are expensive and are known to cause adverse effects in patients, as documented recently by the FDA. The team has developed a cost-effective, organic biomaterial for enhanced bone mineralization and orthopedic regeneration. Through the use of an innovative, materials design approach employing the aforementioned bone proteins, this project aims at commercializing a new class of hybrid organic matrices that can significantly enhance the growth of new bone tissue. The development of the bone substitute seeks to shift paradigms in orthopedic regenerative medicine. The success of this work will usher in a new class of bioengineered matrices that safely induce new bone formation and prevent occurrence of non-unions. An increased efficacy in bone grafting procedures will directly translate to lowered hospitals costs and better patient outcomes.Non-collagenous proteins (NCPs) osteocalcin (OC) and osteopontin (OPN) are building blocks of bone, and are released by cells into the extracellular environment during the mineralization process, where they are incorporated into the matrix due to their affinity for bone mineral. OC and OPN are considered powerful regulators of bone matrix quality, strongly influencing mechanical integrity of bone. NCPs function as link proteins connecting the collagen and mineral phases of bone matrix together, and as regulators of bone mineral properties. The self-healing potential of NCPs due, to their interactions with both, the mineral and collagen phases in bone matrix, makes them ideal candidates to explore in the field of orthopedic regeneration. By providing the body with these building blocks of bone, the team seeks to achieve enhanced mineralization and accelerated bone regeneration. The team is fabricating and characterizing collagen-based matrices containing NCPs that now need to be characterized and tested for efficacy through in vitro and in vivo studies. Preliminary conversations with clinicians and angel investors, have led the team to believe that a successful test of efficacy will be a significant milestone in the commercialization of its innovation.