Biomedical company awarded $200,000 grant to manufacture pearl-based bone substitute

A medtech company using pearl to create a promising bone substitute product is among seven companies awarded funding through the Western Australian government’s Regional Economic Development program.

A total of seven Kimberley region projects were awarded a total of $773,000 through the program’s fourth round, announced on Tuesday.  

Marine Biomedical was awarded $200,000 to help establish a laboratory to produce “PearlBone”. 

According to comments last year by its inventor, Professor Minghao Zheng of University of Western Australia, the product was developed over “many years” and “substantially supports the process of new bone formation, compared to other synthetic bone substitutes in the market.” PearlBone is derived from nacre, also known as mother of pearl.

Marine Biomedical was established through a partnership between pearling business Willie Creek Pearls and UWA’s Medical School, with support from Orthocell.

Lakeside Minerals Livestock was awarded $150,000 to establish a plant to manufacture stock supplements for the region’s pastoralists.

Other grant winners included daycare operator Frillnecks Enterprises and indigenous-owned construction enterprise MGC Building and Maintenance. 

“The Kimberley region is home to a wide range of industries; including aquaculture, pastoralism and community services, and the seven projects funded through this round of the RED grants reflect this diversity,” said state regional development minister Alannah MacTiernan in a statement.

Picture: Marine Biomedical

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