GIPP project participant receives FDA approval for Manufacture of Nanostructured Dental Implants: Manhattan Scientifics, Inc. acquires USIC member Metallicum
In July 2008, Manhattan Scientifics purchased Metallicum, a company specializing in super strong nanometals. Six months later they announced FDA approval of nanotitanium dental implants, made using the technology that Metallicum had developed through the GIPP program. Metallicum, a USIC member, developed the proprietary form of nanostructured titanium through cooperative effort by scientists at Los Alamos National Laboratory, the Institute of Physics of Advanced Materials, Ufa and several other Russian institutes.
Manhattan Scientifics will manufacture these nanotitanium implants at it’s affiliated manufacturing partner Danlin Products site which is located in Albuquerque, New Mexico. As production grows, the facility is expected to provide approximately 50 new jobs in engineering, marketing, sales, and manufacturing in New Mexico.
Nanostructured titanium holds tremendous commercial potential. Putting traditionally constructed airplanes and automobiles on a “nano-diet” offers the capability to reduce vehicle weight by large percentages resulting in significant cost and fuel savings. The technology has further applications for medical devices and prosthetics, even heart stents. Clinical studies have shown that nanostructured dental implants, hip, shoulders and knee replacements integrate with bone up to 20 times faster than with conventional metals, offering faster post-op healing and implant life. The company currently has corporate partners/clients in a wide array of industries ranging from aerospace to sports products. The proprietary technology is owned by LANL and exclusively licensed to Manhattan Scientifics. Manhattan Scientifics has sub-licensed rights to manufacture specific classes of nanostructured metals to a major USA metals company.
Manhattan Scientifics’ Chief Scientist Terry Lowe, who has been with the project since its inception, said, “The $2 billion annual dental implant wholesale market is 10 percent the size of the market for other medical devices (for example hips, spinal devices and cardiovascular stents) that can benefit from the advantages of our advanced metals.” According to reports, this new dental implant technology is one that can be utilized by general dentists in their practice.
Manhattan Scientifics is led by President and CEO Manny Tsoupanarias and Chairman Emeritus Marvin Maslow, who directs investor relations. The company has a continuing interest in investing in technology that is environmentally and people friendly.