AAP is granted European patent for its innovative resorbable magnesium implant technology

Aap Implantate AG (“aap”) announces that it was recently granted a further key European patent for its innovative magnesium implant technology. The patent (EP 2 593 152 B1) describes and protects the process by which aap’s magnesium implants are coated. The European patent will now be nationalised in numerous key European markets and published in different languages.

With its resorbable magnesium implant development project aap aims to develop implants that degrade biologically in the body after a successful healing of the fracture or defect, thereby making a second operation to remove the implant unnecessary. The implant must have good biomechanical properties for stabilising and healing the bone and at the same time be resorbable in the patient’s body. The implants are small screws and plates consisting of a magnesium alloy and are coated with hydroxyapatite by means of a plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) process. The hydroxyapatite coating serves to control the implant’s corrosion rate (speed of degradation) respectively the hydrogen development associated with the corrosion.

aap’s resorbable magnesium implant technology has several unique selling propositions such as cost efficiency as well as good biomechanical properties combined with a moderate and controllable resorption rate. These properties have been proven in several tests with promising results. In addition, the resorbable magnesium implant technology developed by the company has – as a platform technology – a wide range of applications and can be used not only in orthopaedics but also, for example, in areas such as facial surgery, sports medicine or paediatrics.

The magnesium implant technology addresses a big cost saving potential in the healthcare industry and therefore offers aap a considerable market potential. aap aims in a first step for the US market for mini and small fragment plates with an estimated volume of around US$ 0.6 bn. The global market volume is estimated to about US$ 1.3 bn. aap plans to push forward the further development of its magnesium implant technology jointly with partners under aap’s management.

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