Founder’s Facts: BioPoly vs Hydrogels

Hear what BioPoly Founder, Herb Schwartz has to say about the properties of BioPoly vs Hydrogels:

In my last Founder’s Facts post, I discussed how BioPoly® interacts with cartilage and why it is a more cartilage-friendly material than metal materials (i.e. CoCrMo) because it is hydrophilic (metals are hydrophobic) and is less stiff than metals. On the other side of the spectrum from metals are hydrogels. Hydrogels are similar to BioPoly® in that they are also hydrophilic; however, they are typically less stiff than BioPoly® and ultimately a less robust material.

Hydrogels are often engineered to match the mechanical properties of native cartilage. The issue that arises from this approach is that hydrogels are synthetic, and they don’t regenerate over time like cartilage extracellular matrix (ECM) must do in order to remain viable. So, in a lab setting, hydrogels may seem to perform and meet the acceptance criteria of the test (i.e. survive for a number of cycles); however, when placed in vivo in real time, there is often a different result. They can simply erode away (like cartilage would do without ECM turnover) or lose fixation.

BioPoly®, on the other hand, is both hydrophilic and has the ability to carry anatomical loads over the long term because its backbone is comprised of ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE), the same material used in total joint bearings. With decades of clinical success, UHMWPE has been proven to successfully perform in total knees, hips and shoulders over the long term. BioPoly® has been implanted in patients for over 12 years, and when articulating against cartilage, it has proven to have similar longevity to the UHMWPE from which it is derived. With the addition of hyaluronic acid to create our BioPoly® material, we have the only synthetic cartilage biomaterial that is both hydrophilic and robust. We are excited with the implant applications that are already FDA-cleared: BioPoly® Great Toe, BioPoly® Lesser Toe, BioPoly® Radial Head and are equally excited for what else is coming from BioPoly® in the near future!

Stay tuned for updates as BioPoly continues advancing joint care and transforming lives!