‘Bone Glue’ Experiment in Space
Osteoarthritis Cure?
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breakthrough "bone glue" is being evaluated on the International Space Station (ISS) on the SpaceX-13 Mission to determine its effectiveness in stimulating new bone growth in low gravity. The bone glue may one day treat patients on Earth with osteoporosis and to repair bone loss in astronauts. LaunchPad Medical's new Tetranite™ biomaterial is the subject of a cell culture experiment — in space and on earth — with the results to compare any differences in key biomarkers linked to new bone generation. This experiment will study the impact of Tetranite™ on bone generating cells called "osteoblasts" and how they produce new bone in a microgravity environment that simulates the conditions to cause osteoporosis. The results could show that Tetranite™ would cure osteoporosis. The experiment, launched on a rocket from Cape Canaveral Dec. 15, will run through Jan. 3, 2018, on the International Space Station. CASIS, the research arm of NASA, and Boeing have provided support and resources to allow LaunchPad Medical to do this experiment. Tetranite™ is an injectable, self-setting bone adhesive that could revolutionize bone repair, with
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Herbal Collective Jan,’18
applications in implant dentistry, fractures and spinal fusion, simplifying and shortening orthopedic and dental implant surgery as well as reducing pain and recovery time. It has significant load-bearing capacity to bond bone to adjacent bone and bone to metal. Additionally, it is bioresorbable and can facilitate bone growth and remodeling. "We needed a bioglue that would work in harsh conditions, including underwater where adhesives typically fail," said Brian Hess, CEO and Founder of LaunchPad Medical. "We reverse engineered what barnacles secrete to bond themselves to underwater structures; in so doing we created a synthetic bone glue to work in people." Hess said the lack of gravity on the ISS significantly impairs the ability of humans to maintain the density of their bones as well as regenerate new bones. Astronauts can lose up to 2% of their bone mass per month while in space. If the experiment shows that Tetranite™ can increase bone density, new methods may be feasible to treat patients who suffer bone fractures and bone loss as a result of osteoporosis. Hess said that the company has successfully used Tetranite™ in animal testing to stabilize dental implants, and also for multiple orthopedic uses such as spinal fusion and bone fracture repair in the cranium