By Biloine Young
The Food and Drug Administration has granted 510(k) clearance to Oxford Performance Materials, Inc.’s SpineFab VBR Implant system. According to the company’s press release, OPM’s SpineFab system is the first and only FDA cleared 3D printed load-bearing polymer device for long-term implantation. The ruling represents OPM’s third successful Estefan regulatory clearance.
OPM’s SpineFab device is a vertebral body replacement intended for use in the thoracolumbar regions of the spine to replace a collapsed, damaged, or unstable vertebral body due to tumor or trauma. The release states that OPM’s SpineFab VBR System implants will be 3D printed in 48 sizes using only biocompatible polymer and laser light. 
The company will manufacture the implants utilizing the company’s OsteoFab process, which combines OPM’s 3D printing technology with the company’s proprietary OXPEKK powder formulation to print orthopedic and neurological implants. The result is what the company refers to as a “beneficial set of attributes, including radiolucency, bone-like mechanical properties, and bone ongrowth characteristics.”