Development of methodologies for the production of high purity bioactive glasses in industrial scale

• Grant number: 15/17175-3
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Innovative Research in Small Business - PIPE
• Start date: June 01, 2017
• End date: May 31, 2019
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Materials and Metallurgical Engineering - Nonmetallic Materials
• Principal Investigator: Marina Trevelin Souza
• Grantee: Marina Trevelin Souza
• Company: Vetra Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento de Produtos Cerâmicos de Alta Tecnologia Ltda
• City: São Carlos
• Associated researchers: Edgar Dutra Zanotto
• Associated scholarship(s): 17/18923-9 - Development of methodologies for the production of high purity bioactive glasses in industrial scale, BP.PIPE

Abstract

The increase in life expectancy, the need for innovation in the medical field and the indispensability to replace bioinertes for bioactive materials have been major drivers for creating new biomaterials that offer high performance in a few surgical steps. Knowing that, VETRA company, a recently constituted spin-off originated from CeRTEV (one of the CEPID projects from FAPESP), aims to offer different solutions to not only the medical market, but also dental, veterinary and cosmeceutical, through the development of a new third generation bioactive glass, that is highly reactive, resorbable and can stimulate soft and hard tissue proliferation and also presents bactericidal properties. This new biomaterial is highly innovative and unique worldwide, being already patent protected in Brazil and with PCT extension (by the company owners). The licensing process has been already pleaded at the Federal University of São Carlos. However, these new bioactive glass' interesting properties are guaranteed only in laboratory scale production, since any contaminants can affect them and even hinder the applications of these materials in the medical and dental sectors. Noticing this great commercial opportunity and all the challenges to be overcome, VETRA aims to develop methodologies for an economically viable production, guaranteeing its physicochemical and biological properties, targeting meeting a substantial potential demand. VETRA also aims the production of the gold standard bioactive glass 45S5, which is not yet commercially exploited in Brazil. For that, the development of processing methods for obtaining these biomaterials in an industrial scale without their contamination is certainly needed. Therefore, this project aims to obtain large amounts of bioactive glasses with no interference of the manufacturing processes on the biomaterial's properties, developing a methodology for production and quality management, making the obtained biomaterials suitable for application in the health sector. This is a project of extreme relevance for Brazil's biomaterial market and also has an important social aspect, which makes it extremely attractive to the intellectual and financial investment. From this project, our company will offer high quality products, standardize and with traceability, essential conditions for these biomaterial's commercialization. (AU)