Jan 24, 2018 | By Tess
French medical device company Gecko Biomedical recently secured €6 million ($7.4M) from the Investments for the Future program (PIA). The funding will primarily be put towards advancing the development and industrialization of specialized 3D printed biopolymers to be used for tissue reconstruction and peripheral nerve treatment.
The Paris-based company is currently developing an “exclusive platform” of 3D printable synthetic biopolymers which it says could enable tissue reconstruction. The materials, which are simultaneously biocompatible and bioresorbable, are designed to be adhered to internal tissues during surgery to help with the natural reconstruction of the patient’s tissue.
Gecko Biomedical likens the 3D printable materials to a sort of “barrier or sealant” which can aid in tissue reconstrction during and after surgery. Further, the company says the tissue implants are designed to be “activated” by a specific type of light and can be additively manufactured in high-resolution for optimal efficiency.
The €6 million in funding from PIA was granted to Gecko for its PIAVE project proposal, which is being realized in cooperation with the General Secretariat for Investment (SGPI) and investment bank Bpifrance. As mentioned, the money will help support the advancement of the company’s 3D printed tissue regeneration solution, and specifically the treatment of the peripheral nervous system.
The company explains that its innovative research is aimed at reconstructing peripheral nerves by using “3D printed micro-conducts” and biocompatible adhesives which can either compliment or flly replace traditional sutures.
Currently, the company is also in the process of building a 1,150 m2 manufacturing facility in Roncq, France. The facility, which will be fully powered using green energy, will consist of four clean rooms (spanning 300 m2) and an analysis laboratory (over 240 m2).
“This funding will allow us to speed up our industrialization process and equip ourselves with a globally unique manufacturing site,” commented Christophe Bancel, CEO of Gecko Biomedical. “Cutting-edge processes will be performed on this site to produce all our liquid polymers in individual, sterile conditions, ready for use by surgeons.”
“We also intend to speed up a second phase in our strategy through the industrial and clinical development of our 3D printing platform for flexible, bioresorbable and high-resolution implants, by leveraging our polymers as a biomedical resin, as well as by optimizing state-of-the-art 3D printing techniques,” he added.
Marie Zwarg, the Area Leader for Healthcare for Bpifrance’s Industrial Sectors, stated her enthusiasm for the project saying: “Bpifrance has supported Gecko Biomedical since its creation. We are delighted to contribute to furthering the development of its top-level technological platform with multiple applications, while also contributing to its industrialization in France.”
Posted in 3D Printing Application
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