NanoForm Science is developing a nanoporous material platform which offers unique properties, due to its very low density and high porosity, that can be combined with a cost-effective and purposeful functionalization of the base material. The material can be considered a medical tool of sorts that could potentially increase the effectiveness of existing, re-formulation, innovative drug delivery and future treatments. 

The company currently has two key applications and focus areas for its material, as a scaffolding material to improve treatment of joint diseases such as osteoarthritis, and as an anti bacterial coating.

Applications

Joint diseases are major problems in the health of people for millions of people everywhere in the world. These diseases lead to the wear of articular cartilage, which is a forward process. In Sweden alone, about 1.2 million people over the age of 45 suffer from osteoarthritis. Due to the risk of subsequent reduced physical activity, arthritis brings with it a high risk of problems with diabetes, cardiovascular disease and other lifestyle diseases.

The disease also brings great costs to society. A study conducted by the Institute for Health Economics in Lund estimated the total cost of the diseases to be over SEK 100 billion in 2012, where arthritis and Osteoarthritis (the most common type of arthritis) are estimated to account for about one third.

Antibacterial surfaces are becoming more and more thought after in many applications. They are functionalized in a variety of different processes. A coating may be applied to a surface that contains a chemical compound which is toxic to microorganism. Other surfaces may be functionalized by attaching a polymer, or polypeptide to its surface. Other strategies to achieve antibacterial properties include photocatalytic surfaces that are activated by light, typically UV light. 

The Global Antibacterial Coatings Market for medical implants alone is projected to reach $343.16 million by 2023 from was $120.22 million in 2016, registering a CAGR of 16.1% from 2017 to 2023. The global antimicrobial coatings market size, of which antibacterial is a part, is predicted to be valued at more than $7 billion by the end of 2024 as a result of its applications in textiles, indoor air quality, medical & healthcare, mould remediation, construction, and food packaging, according to Graphical Research. 

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