The best healthcare systems contribute towards longer life expectancy. Hence the mounting efforts and investments in the quest for better surgical procedures and devices. On the rise, are patients suffering from bone damage and degenerative diseases or injuries. Malaysia recorded the highest motor accident cases in South East Asia. In 2007 about 34,000 cases were recorded. More than half of which involved fractures, trauma and bone loss. This has kept demand for bone grafting procedures to be constantly on the rise including for patients suffering from diabetes, bone cancer, arthritis and osteoporosis.

Enter GranuLab (M) Sdn Bhd (GranuLab): based in Technology Park Malaysia, this Bio-Nexus status company is Malaysia’s first manufacturer of medical grade hydroxyapatite synthetic bone graft. The venture originates from Sirim Berhad’s (representing Ministry of Science Technology and Innovation and collaborators) highly successful commercialisation of the innovative synthetic bone graft substitute called GranuMaS. In 2002, the Malaysian government via MOSTI under MP8, provided an IRPA grant for Malaysian research institutes and universities to have joint efforts to develop an alternative product to solve the national problems related to bone grafts.

Romli Ishak, managing director of GranuLabs (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd receiving an innovation award from SIRIM- one of the many awards and accolades the company has won for its GranuMaS product.

Bone grafting itself is common in surgical operations. The use of autogenous bone (bone from the patient itself) is limited to the quantity of bone grafts available for harvesting. The major concern is the transmission of infections and diseases (like Hepatitis B or C and HIV) associated with allogenous bones (bone from donors). GranuMaS offers hope as the most promising material for skeletal repair is actually synthetic material.

GranuMaS is safe; it does not cause transmission of bacteria and other diseases. It is derived from pure commercial chemicals and Malaysian limestone. Synthetic bone also alleviates the concerns over immune rejection problems, as well as the religious (Halal) and ethical issues if animal bones were used. It has been successfully screened through various in vitro and in vivo tests and also clinical trials. It provides an alternative for orthopedic, trauma, ENT, dental, plastic and maxillofacial treatments or surgery.

With the advent of technology, bone graft substitutes are quickly gaining acceptance as the standard treatment of musculoskeletal defects at the expense of autograft bones. The procedure significantly reduces the time required both in the operation theatre and for rehabilitation. The adoption rate for bone graft substitutes has been increasing as surgeons continue to replace traditional materials with substitutes in surgical procedures. A wide variety of synthetic bone grafts, combined with improved physician training and promising clinical outcomes is likely to result in growing number of procedures utilising bone graft substitutes.

With the aid of grants through government agencies and the backing of main shareholder Sindora Bhd, to assist in carrying out its commercialisation efforts, GranuLabs has successfully marketed and sold GranuMaS both domestically and internationally. GranuMaS is used in over 25 major local government hospitals and private clinics; it is also replacing the imported bone graft substitutes used before.

For more information, please contact: Romli Ishak, Managing Director, GranuLabs. Tel: 03-89965622.