(photo credits Poietis)
While waiting for that still distant day when bioprinting might allow us to reproduce organs on demand to solve shortage problems, equally exciting advances are emerging. The results recorded here and there by the researchers show us that in the short term this technology has the potential to revolutionize the production of simpler biological tissues such as skin and cartilage. The recent feat of 3DBio Therapeutics, an American biotechnology company that has managed to reproduce an ear for a patient with microtia, highlights the already visible advances in bioprinting. What is less known is that this technology might also be of very valuable help to us in optimizing the care of very complex organs such as the heart.
Close to making its bioprinting technology accessible to patients for large skin grafts, the French start-up Poietis has other ambitions for its technology. The latest challenge for the Bordeaux start-up concerns a collaboration with the eminent Professor Philippe Menasché. Objective: to create a patch to treat heart failure.
This heart surgeon, if you don’t know him, is a pioneer in cell therapy. Mobilized for twenty years to treat heart failure, this doctor has achieved the feat of designing and performing the first transplants of muscle stem cells in humans. It was 22 years ago already. The other great advance of Professor Menasché is a cell dressing from embryonic stem cells, the first clinical trial of which he carried out in January 2015.
Following an initial phase of proof of concept, this collaboration between Poietis and the Cardiovascular Research Center PARCC – Inserm – Paris Cité University – UMR 970 and Cardiovascular Surgery Department, Georges Pompidou European Hospital, aims to set up a model animal and to evaluate the effectiveness of a bioprinted biomaterial on an in vivo heart failure model. The first clinical trials might take place within three to four years.
“This materializes the versatility of our bioprinting platform and the extension of its application portfolio”
NGB Bioprinting Platform (photo credits Poietis)
Poietis specifies that if the clinical indication retained as a priority is the treatment of heart failure, the demonstration of the beneficial role of the co-developed patch (with a view to cellular and/or acellular therapy) might concern other sectors of regenerative medicine, in particular those of skin healing, eye diseases and certain inflammatory bowel pathologies.
« Heart failure is often the ultimate consequence of various cardiovascular diseases. commented Professor Menasché. ” The combination of Poietis’ technological mastery in bioprinting with our expertise in stem cell therapies, or the bioactive factors they produce, might relatively quickly lead to a new therapeutic strategy. »
Bruno Brisson, Business Development Director of Poietis, adds “ We are very pleased with the establishment of this new collaboration in translational research with an internationally leading team in cardiac surgery, and a pioneer in cell therapy to treat heart failure. This materializes the versatility of our bio-printing platform and the extension of its application portfolio. »
Highlighting the growing interest in its bioprinting technology and possible opportunities, Poietis formalized another merger a few days ago. This time it concerns a Spanish partner called CREATED, the Center for Production and Validation of Innovative Therapies (MTI) of the University of Barcelona (UB). We learn that he intends to use his NGB bioprinting platform in the context of various collaborations in basic and translational research, but also the manufacture of innovative therapy drugs (ITMs) for other hospitals in Spain.
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