Creating innovative technologies and products for the treatment of bone defects

Description of impact

Over 500,000 spinal fusion surgeries requiring a bone graft substitute are carried out each year in the US alone. However, traditional synthetic materials mean that, in at least 20% of cases, the materials fail to achieve successful fusion, resulting in poor clinical outcomes. Research at the University of Aberdeen has resulted in new approaches for the development and production of synthetic materials that overcome these limitations, leading to 3 patents and commercial exploitation via a spin-out company. Since August 2013, this new company has used the underpinning research to fuel its expansion, attracting GBP6M in financing between 2014-2020, which led to an GBP8.4M acquisition in 2020 by an international company, increasing company headcount to deliver economic impact. The company has also created new products that fill unmet clinical needs.

Who is affected by, or benefits from, the research?

Healthworkers, patients

Outcomes to Date / Future Developments

The SIRAKOSS technology, underpinned by the Aberdeen research, addresses the unmet clinical needs for bone graft substitutes by creating an off-the-shelf synthetic bone graft that accelerates bone formation and repair so that the graft is fully remodelled and eventually replaced by new bone. The technology has enabled the growth and expansion of a spin out company, attracting equity investment, company led research funding, creating new employment and created 2 new products that fill unmet commercial needs.

Impact status	Impact Completed (Open)
Impact date	2005 → 2020
Category of impact	Economic and/or Commercial, Health and Wellbeing
Stage of Impact	Adoption