Welcome to EIT Health project SOFTBONE
SOFTBONE - Soft bone cement for better treatment of osteoporotic fractures
The goal of the EIT Health project SOFTBONE is to provide a way to treat spinal fractures in osteoporotic patients that can reduce the re-hospitalization rate and associated costs.
Current bone cements are too hard and stiff for the osteoporotic, brittle bone, causing up to 40% new fractures adjacent to a treated vertebra. The project's main deliverable is to prove less new fractures with a softer cement that we have developed. We will also perform a socio-economic study to prove the societal savings resulting from the use of our new soft cement, based on the results from our randomized controlled clinical trial. A second aim is to verify the possible use of the soft cement in painful degenerated discs.
GOALS and OBJECTIVES
In 2020, the estimated number of treatments worldwide where bone cement is injected into osteoporotic vertebral fractures is 1.4 million/year. The market is growing due to the increased occurence of osteoporosis - the part of the population in Europe over 65 years old with osteoporosis is expected to be doubled in 2050.
Osteoporosis is a large problem globally with our ageing population. Approximately 1 in 2 women and 1 in 4 men over 50 years old are affected and may suffer a fracture due to the weakened bone. Fractures in the spine are common and can be treated by injecting bone cement into the vertebral body, stabilizing the fracture and providing pain-relief. However, the bone cements that are currently used to treat the vertebrae are too stiff for the surrounding osteoporotic bone, causing new fractures in up to 40% of the patients.
The SOFTBONE project aims to decrease this number from 40% to 5%, through the use of a novel, softer, patented bone cement formulation.
SOFTBONE Partners
SOFTBONE TEAM
SOFTBONE PROJECTS
