An implant that grows with your body. That is the promise of HCM Medical. The company manufactures medical implants – not from metal or plastic, but from human donor tissue and carefully processed animal tissue. The result: your body recognises the material and can convert it into its own tissue. This makes the healing process faster and more natural.
For this approach, HCM Medical received the Lifeport Pearl Award on 21 November, Entrepreneurs’ Day. On Entrepreneurs’ Day, we celebrate the courage, innovation and social impact of the entrepreneurs who are driving our region forward. Entrepreneurs are the driving force behind the Lifeport region: they create jobs, stimulate innovation and work closely with knowledge institutions and the government to tackle societal challenges. During the Circular Annual Event organised by the Arnhem Nijmegen Green Metropolitan Region, HCM Medical was honoured as an example of entrepreneurship that combines economic strength, circularity and social impact.
HCM Medical develops medical implants made from biological tissue rather than metal or plastic. This results in solutions that are better suited to the human body and contribute to a circular healthcare system. For this innovative approach, the company received the Lifeport Pearl Award, presented by Ilko Bosman, chair of VNO-NCW and a member of The Economic Board.
“We are proud that HCM Medical has been named a Lifeport Pearl on Entrepreneurs’ Day,” said Ilko Bosman. “They demonstrate how health, technology and sustainability can coexist within a single organisation, thereby showcasing the entrepreneurial spirit that puts the Lifeport region on the global map.”
The Pearl Award is presented twice a year by The Economic Board to an organisation that contributes to the region in a distinctive, innovative or sustainable way and inspires others. HCM Medical demonstrates how entrepreneurship and circular innovation go hand in hand.
From idea to implant
HCM Medical was founded in 2014 by biochemists Christian van Munster and Henriette Valster. Its origins date back even further. In 2006, they began developing methods to safely clean bone tissue. This evolved into a technology platform for processing a wide range of tissues for medical applications.
“We have a technology that allows us to clean a wide variety of tissues,” explains Christian. “We started with bone tissue in 2006, and in 2014 we decided to broaden our scope. We want to find solutions for chronic diseases for which there is currently no cure, and to bring those solutions to patients more quickly.”
The company does this not only in the lab, but also in production. “We can actually manufacture what we develop in accordance with European guidelines. This means doctors can use our products worldwide.”
The expertise of HCM Medical
HCM Medical specialises in implants that help the body build new tissue. Examples include bone replacement in orthopaedics or dentistry. “Suppose a patient has had a tumour in their bone,” explains Christian. “In that case, you can insert a new piece of bone. The body uses our implants as a sort of matrix to form new bone. Over time, that new bone becomes fully integrated into the body. We stay as close to the body’s natural processes as possible. That makes healing faster and more natural.”
The company also manufactures collagen products, including for wound healing and aesthetic applications. “We extract collagen from horse tendons. And for some implants, we use the pericardium from pigs sourced from abattoirs. We thoroughly clean that material and use it as a biological membrane over the bone. This protects the area, and over time it is completely reabsorbed by the body.”
Circular and sustainable: maximum value from existing flows
The circular value of HCM Medical works on two fronts: human and animal. “A patient who passes away can leave behind donor material that we can use to help others get better,” says Christian. “That is the gift of life. This prevents valuable material from being lost. And we also add value to slaughterhouse waste. What previously had no further use is given a medical purpose by us.”
What’s more, HCM Medical reduces chemical pollution. Worldwide, bones and tissues are often cleaned using chemical solvents such as acetone. In Nijmegen, they do things differently. “We use supercritical CO₂,” explains Christan. “It has the dissolving power of a liquid and the penetrating power of a gas. This allows us to clean tissue thoroughly without any chemical treatment. It’s very clean, and the biological properties of the tissue are preserved.”
High Tech in the clean room
The combination of biochemistry, materials technology and medical precision makes the work high-tech. Implants are developed, tested and manufactured in state-of-the-art cleanrooms and laboratories.
“For example, we’re currently working on cleaning aortas and tracheas,” says Christian. “Together with Radboud University, we have demonstrated that all the cells have indeed been removed. The next step is to ensure that new cells regrow. And this must happen at exactly the same rate as the surrounding tissue.” This research shows that HCM Medical is not only innovating, but also contributing to the region’s medical knowledge base.
Rooted in Nijmegen
The Arnhem-Nijmegen region plays a key role in HCM Medical’s growth. “There are many medical companies here,” says Christian. “And the standard of education is high, both at vocational college and at university. What we do cannot be learnt from a book. You learn it from us through practical experience, but the high level of intellectual engagement in the region helps enormously.”
The partnership with Radboud University is indispensable in this regard. “The Dentistry and Biochemistry departments know exactly where to find us. Students do work placements here, and we sometimes use their equipment. In return, we run courses or give guest lectures. That give-and-take makes the work both enjoyable and effective.”
Growing through adversity
During the coronavirus pandemic, customer demand for HCM Medical’s products came to a standstill. “We mainly manufactured products for dentistry and orthopaedics, and those sectors ground to a halt,” explains Christian. “So we turned our attention to collagen products and medicines. Within a short space of time, we’d secured the necessary licences and were able to start producing collagen. Since the pandemic, we’ve grown enormously, to around 28 staff members.”
Staff choose this work very deliberately, precisely because they can apply their knowledge directly to help patients. They come from backgrounds in biology, healthcare or engineering and share the same motivation: to develop solutions that bring about real improvements. This shared drive ensures a high degree of precision, curiosity and innovative spirit on the work floor.
The company’s growth calls for new partners. “To grow further, you need a strong international player,” he says. “We’ve found that in LifeNet Health. They’re big in tissue; we have unique expertise in animal tissue. Together, we can achieve even more.”
Pearl-proof
HCM Medical demonstrates how innovation and sustainability can reinforce each other in the healthcare sector. By making clever use of biological materials and waste streams, the company develops implants that not only fit the body better but are also less harmful to the environment.
“We’re a small company, but we’re making a global impact,” says Christian. “We’re helping patients all over the world, but ‘ordinary people’ often don’t realise what we do. This award puts us in the spotlight. Hopefully, this will enable us to raise awareness among even more people about the importance of our work.”
