Irish Venture to Deliver Biodegradable Implants

A consortium of three Irish biomedical companies - Venn Life Sciences Holdings Plc, Cellulac Ltd and Biopharmed West Ltd have announce a joint venture to pursue the development of biodegradable human implants. The joint venture provides a complement of expertise beginning at traceability and processing of raw materials to finished medical grade PolyLactic Acid, (PLA), a component in the manufacture of implanted medical devices in the operating theatre. Product range is potentially from internal sutures to orthopaedic bone regeneration implants providing a clean technological solution for the replacing of titanium.

Venn Life Sciences is to provide clinical trial management and resourcing solutions to pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device clients. Cellulac Limited, currently involved in a major EU project involving potential uses of biobased chemicals from lignocellulose and alga, will provide the scientific laboratories, production and clean room infrastructure, quality controls and access to its portfolio of patents in the production of biodegradable PLA. Partners in this project include Fraunhofer Institiute, Nova Institute and Wageningen University.

Biopharmed West Limited will contribute institutional, commercial know-how and management of distribution channels