Silicon Nitride vs. Titanium or PEEK

Move over titanium (TI) and poly-ether-ether-ketone (PEEK)—there is a new challenger on the block. Salt Lake City, Utah, based Amedica Corporation announced on September 13 enhanced biomaterial claims based on newly published data for the company’s proprietary competing silicon nitride biomaterial.

Traditional treatment for the 65 million Americans who suffer from lower back pain includes implanting metal or plastic spacers between the vertebrae .While these spacers provide bone support and reduce pain; they do not actively participate in the bone fusion process and lack anti-infective characteristics. This is where silicon nitrides comes in.

Amedica’s new claims for silicon nitrides are based on peer-reviewed reports that silicon nitride’s hydrophilic surface demonstrates superior new bone growth and bacterial-resistant properties—greatly reducing the risk of infection—when compared to traditional treatments using titanium (Ti) or poly-ether-ether-ketone (PEEK.)

According to Amedica officials, researchers writing in the International Journal of Nanomedicine found that silicon nitrides is far less vulnerable to bacterial colonization (S. epidermidis, S. aureus, P. aeruginosa, E. coli and Enterococcus) than are PEEK and titanium. Because of the positive surface charge, nanostructure and hydrophilic nature of silicon nitride, there was also rapid adherence of fibronectin, vitronectin and laminin proteins which can decrease susceptibility to bacteria and increase osteointegration.

Researchers writing in the journal Acta Biomaterialia (2012) reported that the amount of regenerated bone associated with the silicon nitride implants was essentially two- to three-times that of the other two implant materials at three months post-surgery. After 14 days, silicon nitride demonstrated significantly greater new bone formation at both the surgical site and the implant interface.

Thomas J. Webster, Ph.D., lead investigator, chair and professor of the Department of Chemical Engineering at Northeastern University, said, “Selectively engineering the biomaterial or surface structure of the implant can decrease bacterial adhesion, therefore lessening the risk potential for infection. Our study examined the innate biomaterial characteristics of silicon nitride, PEEK and titanium, and it was evident that silicon nitride holds the greatest potential for decreased risk of bacterial infection.”

“The expansion of these biomaterial claims to our silicon nitride interbody fusion devices demonstrates the clear superiority of our technology in comparison to PEEK and titanium, ” said Eric K. Olson, president and CEO, Amedica. “The company is prepared to take advantage of these enhanced claims, to dramatically increase sale of our silicon nitride products and grow company revenue. Ultimately, we believe, this technology will become the new standard of care.”