OLD BETHPAGE, NY, and VIENNA, AT | May 29, 2024 – Himed (www.himed.com), a leading manufacturer of bioceramic materials, and Lithoz (www.lithoz.com), a pioneer in ceramic 3D printing equipment, are pleased to announce the launch of a new Bioceramics Center of Excellence™ (BCoE) at Himed's New York headquarters. The BCoE will offer a holistic approach to R&D using bioceramics for medical device manufacturers, integrating various analytical services to support the rapid prototyping process.

The launch is timely: increased global life expectancy has spawned a larger demand for bioceramic materials in healthcare and dental care—primarily in the form of implants—and the global bioceramic industry is expected to reach USD 10.2 billion by 2028. Bioceramic materials are the next frontier of regenerative therapies that promote osseointegration, the body’s natural process for healing hard tissues and developing healthy new bone.

With the launch of the BCoE, Himed is extending its capabilities into rapid prototyping and expanding its offerings for medical device manufacturers. The center will provide a comprehensive suite of services, including design support and optimization, SEM imaging, material analysis and characterization, biomaterial customization, and bioceramic 3D printing using a Lithoz CeraFab S65 Medical printer. The company aims to promote the development of innovative manufacturing processes for bioceramic materials and help customers explore new compositions and manufacturing techniques that may have been previously out of reach for some companies.

The BCoE will particularly benefit medtech startups and other businesses looking to cost-effectively prototype and optimize designs that use bioceramics. Himed's President, Craig Rosenblum, explains: "Before investing in a medical 3D printer, companies can effectively lease time on one, along with the support and materials expertise of Himed's engineers and scientists. They'll pay a fraction of the cost of either purchasing a printer or coordinating research and analysis through multiple vendors. Himed will support them from concept through optimization, and at the end of the R&D process, they'll have a clear path for scaling up production."

This milestone follows the strategic partnership announced last year between Lithoz and Himed. The partnership, a testament to the companies' shared vision and commitment to innovation, outlined plans for an R&D collaboration to design new bioinks for use in Lithoz's ceramic medical-grade 3D printers using Himed’s materials, setting the stage for the BCoE's future success. 

"Lithoz's technology is unlike anything else out there—they've solved some meaningful challenges in this field, and their printers can take you from concept all the way through production. That's going to open up new avenues for invention in implant design," says Dana Barnard, CEO of Himed. “Both companies also recognize that while developments in imaging and printer technology are critical to moving the additive bioceramic industry forward, materials knowledge is an essential piece of success, and that's where Himed fits in. We want the BCoE to be a platform where medical device manufacturers can easily access the latest bioceramic technologies and analytical services to develop visionary products that improve patient outcomes." 

Says Johannes Homa, CEO of Lithoz: “This new Bioceramics Center of Excellence will open up a new chapter in 3D-printed medical applications for North America—with the combination of Himed’s experience and Lithoz’s technology, new applications will certainly be enabled which are currently unthinkable.”

About Himed: Since 1991, Himed has been on the vanguard of bioceramics characterization. With an all-in-one research and production facility in New York, Himed supplies raw calcium phosphate biomaterials for a wide array of uses and provides tailorable, biocompatible coating and texturing solutions with their MATRIX® line of surface treatments. Himed is FDA registered and ISO 13485:2016 certified.

Contact: Kaelie Barnard | Dir. Marketing, Barson Corp.
press@barson.group | +1 (516) 712–6050

About Lithoz: Lithoz is the world and technology leader for high-performance ceramic materials and 3D printers. Founded in 2011, Lithoz is committed to breaking the boundaries of ceramic production and supporting customers in expanding the manufacturing opportunities for the ceramic industry. The company has an export share of almost 100%, nearly 150 employees, and 4 different sites worldwide. Since 2016, Lithoz has also been ISO 9001-2015 certified.

Contact: Alice Elt | PR Manager, Lithoz
aelt@lithoz.com | +43 660 1563