An Innovative and Safer Polymer for Implantable Medical Devices
Polyurethanes (PUs) are widely used to manufacture medical devices like catheters, artificial hearts, and implants. However, their synthesis requires precursors known to be extremely harmful to both human health and the environment (isocyanates), and their hemocompatibility remains suboptimal, leading to frequent thrombotic complications.
Dr. Sofia Melo (Prof. Cécile Oury’s team, Laboratory of Cardiology, GIGA) and Dr. Anna Pierrard (Prof. Christine Jérôme’s team, CERM, CESAM) have synthesized and tested new materials that outperform conventional medical-grade PUs.
This new non-isocyanate polyurethane (NIPU) is called poly(hydroxy-oxazolidone), or PHOx. It is a versatile thermoplastic elastomer that can be processed in multiple ways to create various medical devices, including catheters, implants, and even custom 3D-printed devices.
The team demonstrated that PHOx offers superior biocompatibility and hemocompatibility compared to conventional PU, both in vitro and in vivo. The invention of PHOx marks a real breakthrough in the field of advanced materials for safer and more environmentally friendly medical applications.
PHOx represents a significant advance in the development of sustainable biomaterials for safer and greener medical technologies.
A patent (WO2025082761) has been filed to protect this innovation.
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Un brevet (WO2025082761) a été déposé relatif à ce dispositif.
