Valuable Achievement After Over 5 Years of Joint Development with Subsidiary Instec
Presenting the Future Paradigm of Artificial Joint Manufacturing
Expected Game Changer to Transform the Global Artificial Joint Market Landscape
[Asia Economy Reporter Hyungsoo Park] Korea's leading artificial joint company, Corentec, announced that it has obtained approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its artificial hip joint acetabular cup product, 'BENCOX Mirabo Z Cup Cortinium.'
The approved Corentec acetabular cup is the world's first to apply a biometal 3D printing coating technology using the Directed Energy Deposition (DED) method. It is a product that replaces the acetabulum of the hip joint damaged by indications such as degenerative lesions, fractures, rheumatoid arthritis, and tumors.
The surface of the artificial acetabular cup requires a porous coating with fine pores to allow bone ingrowth for firm fixation. Currently, the Titanium Plasma Spray (TPS) coating is the most widely used worldwide; however, it does not fully integrate with the artificial joint, leading to cases where the coating detaches from the implanted joint, causing revision surgeries and various problems.
To solve this, Corentec collaborated with its subsidiary and metal 3D printer specialist company, Instec Co., Ltd., to successfully develop a porous coating formation technology using the world's first biometal 3D printing technology classified under the DED method called Direct Metal Tooling (DMT).
The DMT coating technology involves irradiating the surface of the artificial joint with a laser while simultaneously melting medical-grade titanium powder to create a porous structure similar to bone. This technology offers advantages such as ▲complete fusion of the coating on the acetabular cup surface ensuring firm fixation after surgery ▲the world's only application of Grade II pure titanium ▲formation of pores sized approximately 200~500㎛, which is the optimal pore size for human bone generation ▲about three times the surface roughness compared to titanium plasma coating, providing strong initial fixation immediately after surgery.
Through FDA approval of the artificial acetabular cup, Corentec expects to secure global technological competitiveness and anticipates a significant increase in sales by supplying the product to the U.S. market in the near future. The company is also developing artificial ankle and knee joints made of cobalt-chromium alloy applying the DMT coating technology, with plans to complete development and launch the products in 2023 and 2024, respectively.
Corentec CEO Seon Doo-hoon stated, "The BENCOX Mirabo Z Cup Cortinium, born after more than 10 years of numerous trials and errors, is a product applying innovative biocoating technology," adding, "It is a next-generation product that will replace existing titanium plasma coating products and change the paradigm of coating technology." He further added, "By supplying high-end artificial joints to the U.S. market, which accounts for the majority of the global artificial joint market, we expect to simultaneously enhance corporate value, sales growth, and profitability."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
