PENANG, 20 June 2014 - A team of researchers from Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) has introduced a ceramic glass powder capable of improving the performance of cement for bone healing.

Known as Bon'ciment, the product which is composed of silica-based ceramic glass and limestone has a potential for treatments involving the insertion of implants in a patient's body.

Bon'ciment lead researcher, Professor Dr. Radzali Othman from the School of Materials and Mineral Resources said that Bon'ciment refers to a bone cement composite (bone replacement cement) comprising a mixture of bioactive ceramic glass and existing bone cement.

He said that the bioactive glass powder produced has to be combined with existing bone cement to strengthen the bone replacement cement, thus overcoming some of the weaknesses of the cement used.

“By mixing 5 grammes of Bon'ciment into the current bone cement, it can optimise the performance of bone replacement cement, including doubling the flexibility of cement.

“The bone replacement cement will be more flexible and it helps to solve the problem of bone incompatibility with the implant that causes discomfort in patients,” he said.

Bon’ciment  also addresses the problem of heat emission which affects patients undergoing bone related treatment, whereby the use of cement emits heat during the polymerisation process.

“When there is heat, cells within the surrounding area being treated will be damaged and die. This problem can be overcome by using Bon'ciment which has proven to be effective with a very low output of heat,'' he said.

He added that the product was developed over a period of three years at a cost of RM400,000 and is in the process of clinical studies, after passing the preliminary laboratory and animal testings.

He hoped that Bon’ciment can be commercialised, latest by early next year after passing all the tests including clinical trials.

“Since this product is focused on human, it is therefore closely related to safety and health issues and has to go through various tests before they can be commercialised.

“We see a very broad market outlook because it included all medical uses of its kind available,” he said, adding that Bon’ciment production cost estimate is around RM280.00 per 4 grammes. - Translation: Yong Check Yoon/Text: Marziana Mohamed Alias​​/Photo: Mohd. Fairus Md. Isa