GERMANY

Medical Magnesium

Year 2017 2017 Winner | Venture Winner Science Start-ups (Falling Walls Venture)

Presented by
Florian Coppers

Nominated by
RWTH Aachen University

Medical Magnesium is dedicated to developing a new generation of implants. These magnesium implants are bioabsorbable, meaning the material turns into bone after performing therapy. In contrast to existing solutions, Medical Magnesium’s implants can also be used as load-bearing implants because their absorption resistance is significantly improved. The combination of mechanical strength and bioabsorption in an implant represents a breakthrough in orthopedic care. This is achieved through a new platform technology, combining innovative magnesium alloys and a new patented coating technology. The company’s implants have shown their performance in various tests (in vitro and in vivo).

Up to now, available magnesium implants do not exhibit a controlled degradation and therefore lose their mechanical integrity too quickly to be used for load bearing fracture plates. Surgeons thus rely on titanium or stainless steel implants which are non-resorbable. This is why a lot of fractures require a removal of the implant in a painful second surgery. Bioabsorbable and stabilising at the same time, Medical Magnesium’s implants eliminate the need for a second surgery and are widely applicable. As a result, the technology not only reduces healing time, risk of infection and pain, but also decreases the cost significantly.

Orthopedic implants are used widely, notably for treatment of injuries or deformities of the musculoskeletal system. Due to the prevalence of obesity, an aging population, an increasing amount of sports injuries and the demand for minimally invasive surgeries, the market volume is an estimated 40 billion US$ in 2017 (Compound annual growth rate: 7.1%). Medical Magnesium is the first company to bring bioabsorbable and load-bearing implants to the market.