title: Design and properties of novel gallium-doped injectable apatitic cements.
abstract: Different possible options were investigated to combine an apatitic calcium phosphate cement with gallium ions, known as bone resorption inhibitors. Gallium can be either chemisorbed onto calcium-deficient apatite or inserted in the structure of β-tricalcium phosphate, and addition of these gallium-doped components into the cement formulation did not significantly affect the main properties of the biomaterial, in terms of injectability and setting time. Under in vitro conditions, the amount of gallium released from the resulting cement pellets was found to be low, but increased in the presence of osteoclastic cells. When implanted in rabbit bone critical defects, a remodeling process of the gallium-doped implant started and an excellent bone interface was observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The integration of drugs and materials is a growing force in the medical industry. The incorporation of pharmaceutical products not only promises to expand the therapeutic scope of biomaterials technology but to design a new generation of true combination products whose therapeutic value stem equally from both the structural attributes of the material and the intrinsic therapy of the drug. In this context, for the first time an injectable calcium phosphate cement containing gallium was designed with properties suitable for practical application as a local delivery system, implantable by minimally invasive surgery. This important and original paper reports the design and in-depth chemical and physical characterization of this groundbreaking technology.
authors.affiliation: Graftys SA, 13854 Aix en Provence Cedex 3, France.
authors.forename: Charlotte
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mellier
authors.affiliation: CNRS, UPR3079, CEMHTI, 45071 Orléans, France.
authors.forename: Franck
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fayon
authors.affiliation: Graftys SA, 13854 Aix en Provence Cedex 3, France.
authors.forename: Florian
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Boukhechba
authors.affiliation: Université de Nantes, INSERM, UMR 791, LIOAD, Faculté de Chirurgie Dentaire, 44042 Nantes Cedex 1, France.
authors.forename: Elise
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Verron
authors.affiliation: Graftys SA, 13854 Aix en Provence Cedex 3, France.
authors.forename: Myriam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: LeFerrec
authors.affiliation: Université de Nantes, CNRS-IN2P3/Ecole des Mines de Nantes, UMR 6457, SUBATECH, 44307 Nantes Cedex 3, France.
authors.forename: Gilles
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Montavon
authors.affiliation: Université de Nantes, INSERM, UMR 791, LIOAD, Faculté de Chirurgie Dentaire, 44042 Nantes Cedex 1, France.
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lesoeur
authors.affiliation: Graftys SA, 13854 Aix en Provence Cedex 3, France.
authors.forename: Verena
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Schnitzler
authors.affiliation: CNRS, UPR3079, CEMHTI, 45071 Orléans, France.
authors.forename: Dominique
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Massiot
authors.affiliation: Université de Nantes, CNRS, UMR 6230, CEISAM, UFR Sciences et Techniques, 44322 NANTES Cedex 3, France.
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Janvier
authors.affiliation: Université de Nantes, INSERM, UMR 791, LIOAD, Faculté de Chirurgie Dentaire, 44042 Nantes Cedex 1, France.
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Gauthier
authors.affiliation: Université de Nantes, CNRS, UMR 6230, CEISAM, UFR Sciences et Techniques, 44322 NANTES Cedex 3, France. Electronic address: jean-michel.bouler@univ-nantes.fr.
authors.forename: Jean-Michel
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Bouler
authors.affiliation: Université de Nantes, CNRS, UMR 6230, CEISAM, UFR Sciences et Techniques, 44322 NANTES Cedex 3, France.
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bujoli
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001031:Apatites / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001843:Bone Cements / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001862:Bone Resorption / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002130:Calcium Phosphates / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002460:Cell Line; D005708:Gallium / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051379:Mice; D011817:Rabbits
chemical_list: D001031:Apatites; D001843:Bone Cements; D002130:Calcium Phosphates; C485817:beta-tricalcium phosphate; D005708:Gallium
keywords: Biocompatibility; Calcium phosphate cements; Design; Gallium; Handling properties