Contamac Announces Collaborative Venture

Publish Date: 5 December, 2011

The University of South Australia’s Mawson Institute is honoured to have recently been awarded an Australian Research Council (ARC) Linkage Project grant to develop the next generation of flexible surface engineered coatings. Researchers from the University of South Australia will work with their commercial partner Contamac Ltd, a major UK-based global provider and developer of speciality polymers and biocompatible materials for implantable and medical applications to the ophthalmic industry. The research project, with a total value in excess of $900,000 will, over the next three years, seek to design the next generation of intraocular lenses (IOLs), through the application of advanced surface engineering technologies. IOLs are medical devices to treat patients with cataracts. A cataract is a clouding that develops in the crystalline lens of the eye varying in degree from slight to complete opacity, and so obstructing the passage of light. These superior coated lenses will improve biocompatibility and function, leading to additional benefit for the forecasted 2.7 million Australians with cataracts by 2021. Cataracts typically progress slowly to cause vision loss and are potentially blinding if left untreated. Data from the World Health Organization (WHO) indicates that age-related cataracts are responsible for 48% of world blindness (18 million people) with 82% of all blind people being 50 years or older.

The linkage with Contamac’s Centre of Excellence enables the Mawson Institute to continue to strengthen its research capability in the field of biomaterials and medical devices. For Contamac, the engagement provides additional opportunity to strengthen its presence in the Asia Pacific region. Contamac has a healthy customer base across Australia including manufacturers of contact lenses and allied ophthalmic devices in Adelaide. The successful completion of the linkage project will develop a unique class of ophthalmic medical devices with the requirement for additional manufacturing facilities. The potential for these facilities to be located in South Australia, adding to the state’s growing capabilities in the key Healthcare sector, exists and will be the subject of continual dialogue between the Mawson Institute and Contamac.