Subtilis, Technical University of Catalonia (UPC Barcelona, Spain)
The problem: Although bone grafts are widely used to help repair damaged bones, they carry the risk of being rejected by the recipient's immune system and have the potential for transmitting disease. These limitations have prompted an increasing effort to develop new ortho-biologic materials.
The answer: Subtilis designs and manufactures orthopaedic and dental bone graft substitutes. Its products can be used in trauma, spinal, dental and veterinary surgery, to repair fractured or defective bones.The company has two products, biomimetic calcium phosphate granules, which came on the market in September, and a calcium phosphate foam.
Subtilis says the benefits of its products include faster bone regeneration and recovery; zero risk of disease transmission; and total degradation of the graft in the long-term, with materials being slowly absorbed as the new bone grows to replace it.
The company: Subtilis recently won Catalonia’s XXI Entrepreneur Award 2015, a competition sponsored by the Ministry of Industry, Energy and Tourism and Spanish bank La Caixa.The company was primarily financed by its three co-founders in November 2013 with €20,000, followed by a loan of €100,000 from the bank and €80,000 from a private investor.
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