Orthobond Launches Anti-Microbial Surface Technology

It’s hard to get through the first hour of the day without worrying about pathogens these days. Princeton, New Jersey-based Orthobond Corporation, is making a dent in this issue, having just released its patented antimicrobial nano surface technology at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons annual meeting in San Diego. According to the company, Orthobond’s surface technology is “the only non-eluting and non-antibiotic treatment designed for medical implants.”

Orthobond addresses the contamination issue with an antimicrobial nano surface treatment which kill viruses, bacteria, and fungi by, essentially, rupturing them.

“The world is focused on pathogens more than ever, and we understand the need for protection,” said David Nichols, Orthobond CEO. “Orthobond’s technology creates a covalently bound nano surface that is designed to kill bacteria, viruses and fungi, yet is safe for human contact. Our first products will be a series of antimicrobial medical device surface treatments designed to protect from pathogens without the use of drugs or eluting chemicals, but long term we see broad applications for textiles, consumer goods and high-touch areas in public places.”

Orthobond told OTW that it had tested more than 1,000 different linker-agent combinations to create the ideal solution. “Orthobond’s technology makes use of powerful covalent linker technology that presents a highly efficacious antimicrobial with broad-spectrum activity directly on the device surface.”

Nichols told OTW, “The FIB SEM [focused ion beam scanning electron microscope] images are an amazing means to see the mechanism of action for this surface. We are permanently attaching a 40-nanometer thick surface with our proprietary process creating a density of around 1×10¹⁶ molecules per cm². The surface is not detectable by eye except for a slight color change. The scanning electron microscope images show this surface just ruptures the bacteria on contact like a balloon falling on a bed of sharp pins. I love seeing that activity.”

“Medical device contamination”, explained Nichols, “is the leading cause of failed outcomes. Everything in the operating room is protected from bacteria except the implant. Recent studies show around a 40% rate of contamination on spinal implants aseptically retrieved from patients with poor outcomes.”

“The problem is understood, but the scope was underreported until recent literature. Orthobond has pioneered a non-eluting, non-drug, polycationic nano surface that can be applied to any orthopedic device. The surface shows broad-spectrum efficacy on the most common strains of bacteria seen in orthopedics and will be submitted to the FDA later this year.”