Aussie-invented bone 'glue' could halve patient recovery times

An Australian biotech company has created a bone graft substitute that can be applied in liquid form — a first of its kind.

Successful first-in-human trials have been completed for the proprietary bone ‘glue’, TrimphDent, which requires no specialised preparation or additional surgical expertise and is set to halve patient recovery times, according to biotech company Trimph.

The breakthrough will allow Trimph to progress towards registering TrimphDent and launching into global markets, which could provide more affordable and accessible oral surgeries to rural and disadvantaged communities across the globe.

“Unlike all other bone substitutes, TrimphDent is delivered as a liquid and uses body heat to form an elastic matrix that stabilises the clot and initiates the healing process,” said Dr Ali Fathi, president and co-founder of Trimph.

“TrimphDent is unique as it requires no specialised preparation, socket packing or additional surgical expertise; it is simply injected into the cavity left by the extracted tooth where it supports the blood clot formed at the site and, over time, promotes bone growth throughout its matrix structure.

“Because of how easily it can be applied, many more implant procedures can be performed in private and rural centres — lessening the encumbrance on major hospitals, significantly reducing the cost of the surgeries, halving recovery time and preventing the need for invasive secondary procedures,” continued Dr Fathi.

Initially expected to be used for dental bone graft substitutes — in particular, socket preservation — the technology behind TrimphDent can also be used to treat many additional pathologies, including osteoarthritis, bone defects and traumas. 

The intellectual property behind the bone glue technology has been granted patents in the US and EU. Trimph will now continue additional patient studies in Perth and is establishing another trial in Sydney.

Image credit: Trimph.