SBIR Phase II: Biofabrication of a collagen fabric by scaled-up electrochemical compaction

The broader societal impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is to improve clinical care through the use of new materials to support biological functions. This project will develop a material for a variety of surgical implants for soft tissue repair and support. This project specifically develops a sling implant for the treatment of stress urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse in women. These conditions cause significant loss of function and quality of life. The current solution, polypropylene mesh implants, can cause adverse events such as pain and mesh exposure. Collagen is more biocompatible than polypropylene and should produce equivalent outcomes with fewer adverse events. In the longer term, other applications for this biofabric include implants for orthopedic repairs, hernia treatment, nerve regeneration, and general surgery. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project seeks to scale up the manufacturing process for producing a novel biofabric made from electrocompacted collagen threads. This biofabric is highly biocompatible, induces a positive tissue response, and resorbs slowly. The technical advances proposed include the development of higher speed and throughput equipment and processes to manufacture the thread and biofabric. This project advances the manufacturing process associated with scaled production, as well as creating the verification and validation procedures. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.