History and purpose

GEPROMED test platform was created in 2009 on the site of the University Hospitals of Strasbourg (HUS). It is the result of a collaboration between the LPMT (Laboratory of Physics and Mechanic Textiles) of the University of Haute Alsace and the HUS. The platform aims to satisfy 2 main objectives: service delivery and innovation.

Service delivery

The first step is to offer manufacturers of implantable medical devices (IMD) an independent technical platform to assess the mechanical performance of IMD or the materials that constitute them. To do this, the platform provides a service at 2 levels:

  1. carry out standard tests mainly on textile materials (ISO 7108) or vascular implants (ISO 25539). But any other type of test can be considered in agreement with the customer and according to feasibility.
  2. support the design of new tests. In this context, GEPROMED brings its expertise resulting from the collaboration researchers and clinicians to offer any type of structure (including Start-ups) the design of test configurations or specific test benches. The objective is to be able to test performances that do not necessarily appear in the standards.

Since 2013, these two activities have been carried out under ISO 13485 and ISO 9001 certifications. Through these activities, GEPROMED stands out from other laboratories due to the fact that its main vocation is to support any type of service through an advisory function. The objective is not to carry out large-scale testing, but rather to identify with the client the limits and potential mechanisms of degradation of the materials and devices tested in order to optimize their design. 

Innovation 

A second objective of the platform is to serve as a tool to support innovation in the field of cardiovascular devices. The equipment is then used in the context of academic research work at Master's level (6 theses defended) or Doctoral Theses (1 thesis defended, 3 theses in progress) which lead to the writing of scientific publications. This work is often interdisciplinary since it involves both researchers and clinicians, who mutually pass on their expertise. Collaborations with international research laboratories have also been set up (Tunisia, Italy, USA, Canada). Students are thus able to be welcomed for internship periods ranging from 2 to 3 months within the structure.

This innovation activity is not dissociated from the provision of services described above since it leads to the production of knowledge, and thus contributes to nourishing the recognized expertise of GEPROMED in the field of cardiovascular devices. The transposition of this expertise to the study of other IMD (parietal prostheses, etc.) is under development.

Equipments:
  • MTS extension tester
  • BOSE fatigue testing head
  • BLOCKWISE radial stent force tester
  • Permeability measurement column
  • Keyence microscope
  • Optical microscope
Certifications

The platform makes it possible to carry out tests according to the ISO 7198 standards relating to textile vascular prostheses and ISO 25539 relating to cardiovascular implants.

Industrial partners

Over the past 10 years, the expertise of GEPROMED has been put at the service of large companies in the field of IMDs (Perouse Medical, Vygon, W.L. Gore, Lemaitre Vascular) but also start-ups (Endonov, Endalis, IdNest) for a total of approximately 400 000€ in turnover.