The i-FACTOR bone graft--initially developed for the treatment of intrabony periodontal osseous defects related to moderate or severe periodontitis--combines a unique anorganic bone matrix (ABM) and small peptide (P-15) to act as an attachment factor for specific integrins on osteogenic cells. The P-15 peptide mimics the cell-binding domain of type I human collagen, which contributes to the production of specific GFs, cytokines, and bone morphogenic proteins (BMP's). This cell binding initiates the flow of mechanical and chemical information between cells and the extracellular matrix (ECM), leading to eventual fusion. The i-FACTOR bone graft is a product of Cerapedics (Westminster, CO, USA), and has received the approval of the European Community (CE Marking).It is currently being evaluated by the U.S. Food and drug Administration (FDA) as part of an Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) clinical study.

"i-FACTOR's peptide enhanced cellular attachment factor, a unique mechanism of action among bone grafts, is now available in more than 20 countries worldwide and growing,” said Paul Mraz, CEO of Cerapedics. "Cerapedics continues to be well-positioned in the increasingly sophisticated osteobiologics marketplace.”

ABM is a pure bovine-derived polycrystalline form of hydroxyapatite, the primary mineral component of bone and dental enamel. ABM provides the structure and calcium phosphate required for bone formation and is manufactured as naturally porous, radiopaque, irregularly shaped particles, sized from 250 μm to 420 μm, and processed at 1,100 °C to remove organic matter. The P-15 peptide is a synthetic clone of a 15 amino acid sequence of the α1 chain of Type I human collagen (residues 766-780), a sequence of amino acids that is a biologically active segment of collagen that facilitates cell migration and binding.

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