Keiichiro MIURA
Reconstruction of oral and maxillofacial bone defects remains challenging. Although autologous bone grafting is widely used, donor-site morbidity and limitations in the amount of available bone have prompted the search for alternative regenerative materials. This clinical need has guided our work on octacalcium phosphate collagen composite (OCP/Col; BONARC®), from preclinical investigation to clinical application.
OCP/Col combines the osteoconductive properties of octacalcium phosphate with a collagen matrix that supports cell attachment and proliferation. Preclinical studies have explored its potential to promote bone formation and provided the rationale for its clinical evaluation. We have translated this work to patients undergoing Le Fort I osteotomy, where the material is used to support regeneration in postoperative bone defects.
This presentation will describe the translational pathway from material development and preclinical evaluation to clinical study, including the assessment of safety, radiographic bone formation over time, and histological findings obtained during plate removal. It will also discuss the practical and regulatory considerations involved in bringing a regenerative material from the laboratory into clinical practice.
By connecting fundamental research with a clearly defined surgical need, this work aims to evaluate the role of BONARC in oral and maxillofacial bone regeneration and to identify the questions that should guide future clinical research.
