OPN: How would you describe your position within the company?
PM: I am responsible for the sales and marketing of ApaTech and its products.

OPN: How long have you been with ApaTech?
PM: I have been with ApaTech since March 2002, prior to which I was the Marketing Director for Stryker UK.

OPN: How long has ApaTech been running and how was it begun?
PM: ApaTech Limited was formed in July 2001 with the rights to bone materials research and Intellectual Property from London and Cambridge Universities. The company retains pipeline agreements with the founding inventors, including Professor William Bonfield, CBE, who is currently Professor of Medical Materials Cambridge University, and Queen Mary University of London.

ApaTech’s technology is based on extensive research to engineer the optimum scaffold per surgical application. Our first product ApaPore® is a synthetic and porous hydroxyapatite. The rate of host bone integration has been shown to be dependent on multiple variables: macroporosity, microporosity, the level of interconnectivity and the control of crystalline phase purity. The balance between porosity and initial mechanical strength is precisely controlled enabling us to manufacture different products for specific surgical applications.

Since formation ApaTech has gained the CE Mark for our lead bone graft substitute ApaPore® in all orthopaedic applications and in May of this year we gained FDA clearance for ApaPore.

ApaPore is now in clinical use in patients and selling to hospitals in Europe, and New Zealand for spinal fusions, bone tumours, fracture fixation and in revision hip procedures.

OPN: Does ApaTech work closely with surgeons?
PM: Yes, ApaTech is working in partnership with lead surgeons throughout the UK. We are conducting clinical studies with our various products: IG-Pore is being evaluated for revision hip arthroplasty with impaction grafting in a multi-centre study, ApaPore 70 is being assessed in trauma applications, and ApaPore 80 in spinal fusions and spinal trauma. Initial clinical data show encouraging results.

The first clinical paper has already been presented reporting on the effective use of ApaPore 70 in the management of benign cystic bone lesions. (British Orthopaedic Oncology Society Meeting 25th June 2004, Newcastle).

As we expand into Northern Europe and the US we are setting up further clinical studies in these markets.

OPN: How does ApaTech go about developing new products?
PM: ApaTech has a thorough understanding of the bone repair process and the biological interactions with materials from the molecular level through to the structural level of the scaffold with the specific macro and micro porosity levels.

Our second generation product Pore-Si clearly demonstrates this. Silicon has been shown to have a metabolic role in the development of new bone. Via ApaTech’s expertise we have substituted phosphate groups within the hydroxyapatite lattice for silicate. Research data show that Pore-Si significantly outperforms traditional hydroxyapatites and _-TCP. Pore-Si is stimulating the bone repair leading to rapid integration and the conversion of the new host bone to lamellar, organised and mature bone at an earlier time point. Data from a Spinal Fusion model suggests Pore-Si is outperforming the current “Gold Standard” – Autograft.

Pore-Si is already generating a high level of interest with surgeons in the US wanting to work with us as they see it providing a cost effective alternative to BMPs and without the obvious donor site complications associated with autografting.

OPN: Have there been any manufacturing advances that have helped ApaTech?
PM: Yes, we have developed a unique manufacturing process that enables us to control the porosity to within +/- 2.5%. Furthermore, ApaPore possesses a high degree of interconnected microporosity providing paths for nutrient transfer and signalling molecules to sustain the growing host bone.

OPN: How do you meet customer ordering and delivery requirements?
PM: ApaTech is working with distributors that are focused on orthopaedics and that will provide our customers with excellent service.

OPN: What are ApaTech’s plans for expansion in the future?
PM: ApaTech has recently completed its series B fund raising and will now be driving commercialisation opportunities for Northern Europe and the USA. We will be launching Pore-Si in Europe later this year. Pore-Si is already CE marked.

The investment into our R&D programme will enable us to bring to market the products in our pipeline. The growth in the company over the next few years will lead to us relocating to a new facility with increased manufacturing capacity.

OPN: How do you feel that the inevitable growth in the medical implant industry will affect ApaTech?
PM: We are very excited at the opportunities for ApaTech to grow significantly as the orthobiologics segment of the Orthopaedic market is growing faster than all the others with the exception of the Spine sector. More surgeons are now looking for viable alternatives to autografting and the demand for allograft is outstripping the supply. ApaTech will provide surgeons with the bone grafting solutions they require improving patient outcomes and quality of life.

ApaTech Ltd can be contacted on +44 (0) 20 7882 7502 for further information, or check out the website: www.apatech.com