Delivery Systems for Bone Morphogenetic Protein (BMP) for Repair of Battle Incurred Bone Injuries.

The attached document is a summary of ten projects on bone regeneration under the influence of a bone morphogenetic protein BMP, performed in collaboration with Lieutenant Colonel Jeffrey Hollinger and associates at DCWRAIR in the three-year period from 1984 through 1987 inclusive. The ten projects have in common the objective of determining efficacy of BMPNCP in augmentation of bone regeneration process in dogs. The tests were performed in standard bone defects of critical size for regeneration in adult dogs in skull trephine operations, segmental long bone loss, and spinal fusion. Implants of BMP were placed in heterotopic sites in a mouse muscle pouch for preliminary tests for verification of induced bone formation. Four delivery systems were tested 1 a selection of insoluble non-collagenous bone matrix proteins, which form aggregates with BMP, 2 polylactic acid polymers, 3 biodegradable beta tricalcium phosphate, and 4 a polymethylmethacrylate. The overall results demonstrate that the ideal delivery system for transmission of BMP for augmentation of bone regeneration in long-lived animals such as dogs and humans, must be sought by investigations with the aid of new and improved methods. Keywords Osteogenesis, Wounds and Injuries, Healing, Therapy, Military medicine.