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[May 2008]
Kyocera Resumes US Sales of Ceramic Orthopaedic Implant Components
Kyocera Industrial Ceramics Corp (Vancouver, WA, USA) has announced that it will be the official North American representative of Japan Medical Materials Corporation (JMM) for sales of biocompatible ceramic structural components used in orthopaedic systems.
JMM components are immediately available from Kyocera to manufacturers of medical implant products, including total hip and total knee joint-replacement systems. The components incorporate a wide range of biocompatible ceramics, including alumina and zirconia; bioactive coatings, such as hydroxyapatite; medical-grade alloys, such as titanium and vanadium-free titanium; and medical grade ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE).
Kyocera gained practical experience with US regulatory processes through its preliminary marketing of biocompatible components beginning in the 1980s. The company shifted its development efforts to Japan in the mid-1990s, where it has achieved a high level of clinical success. Building on these experiences, Kyocera believes the JMM components can support medical system manufacturers in their efforts to meet the regulatory requirements of the US Food and Drug Administration.
“The JMM product line represents decades of development, trials and clinical use, with exceptional success rates among tens of thousands of patients throughout Japan,” said John Rigby, President of Kyocera Industrial Ceramics Corporation. “These proven components can be instrumental to medical implant system manufacturers in their process of gaining permission to market the next generation of orthopedic joint replacement systems in the United States.”
Japan Medical Materials Corp, based in Osaka, is a joint venture founded in 2004 by Kyocera Corp and Kobe Steel Ltd to provide biocompatible components and systems for use in orthopaedic joint replacement applications. The company is based on material synergies gained through Kyocera’s extensive development of biocompatible ceramics since 1973 and Kobe Steel’s development of medical grade alloys since 1984.
www.kyocera.com
ENDS