T&R Biofab, a regenerative medicine specialist, announced on the 27th that it was selected as one of the 'Top 10 Industrial Technology R&D Expected Achievements for 2025' announced by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.
The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy evaluates approximately 8,000 research projects annually based on criteria such as technological achievements, socio-economic impact, and expected outcomes. The top 50 projects are then selected through online public voting. T&R Biofab was included in this year's top 10 in recognition of its vascular bioink material utilizing decellularized extracellular matrix (ECM) and its prowess in artificial blood vessel printing.
T&R Biofab is developing "cell-based functional artificial blood vessels" by combining ECM bioink and precision 3D bioprinting technology, based on a technology that differentiates induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) into vascular endothelial cells. While the existing artificial blood vessel material, PTFE (Gore-Tex), has limited its use in small-diameter blood vessels due to thrombosis issues, cell-based artificial blood vessels are considered a next-generation technology that enables the formation of an actual endothelial layer, promising biocompatibility and thrombosis-reducing effects.
The company is also focusing on developing vascularized organoids, such as liver and heart organoids, and various tissue models, utilizing ECM bioink and its proprietary 3D bioprinter. Last year, in collaboration with researchers at Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, the company demonstrated the potential for clinical application by transplanting a human-derived stem cell-based artificial airway into a patient.
T&R Biofab's ECM biomaterials have already been commercialized as medical devices such as vascular regeneration, wound dressings, and tissue regeneration-promoting hemostatic agents, and the development of cosmetics based on the same technology is also being promoted.
CEO Won-soo Yoon said, “This selection is a recognition of the innovation and commercialization potential of our ECM-based bioink and artificial blood vessel printing technology,” and added, “We will further accelerate the development of future regenerative medical products, such as next-generation artificial blood vessels, by combining iPSC-based cell technology and bioprinting.”
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