BIO INX Releases Gelatin DLP Resin for Bioprinting

Belgian firm BIO INX has released a new vat polymerization DLP resin for bioprinting. The gelatin resin, derived from gelatin methacrylamide (Gel-MA) developed by Ghent University, is naturally sourced from collagen. The company states that the 405 nm material is highly biocompatible and easy to process. Conforming to ISO 10993-5 standards for in vitro cytotoxicity in medical devices, the resin is liquid at room temperature, simplifying handling by eliminating preheating requirements. This results in more stable processing conditions in the vat.

Resembling the extracellular matrix (ECM), the material can be seeded with cells, is biodegradable, and is suitable for both hard and soft tissue applications. It has been tested on the Cellink Lumen and LumenX systems but is compatible with other platforms.

BIO INX Chief Scientific Officer Dr. Aysu Arslan said, “We believe that light-based bioprinting is the future of bioprinting thanks to elevated levels of reproducibility, higher resolution, and faster printing speeds. The combination of light-based printing technologies with the extreme biocompatibility of gelatin is ideal for biofabrication applications. After introducing our HydroBIO INX portfolio for high-resolution printing and ReadyGel INX for volumetric printing, developing a gelatin-based DLP resin was the logical next step. However, unlike volumetric and MPL printing, where gelatin’s gelation behavior at room temperature is advantageous, it posed a challenge for DLP printing—one we are thrilled to have overcome with this latest innovation.”

The resin comes in kit and costs €285 for 10mL, so best not to spill anything. It would cost you a pretty penny to print anything substantive with this.

The company is steadily expanding its resin portfolio, offering materials for multiphoton lithography, volumetric 3D printing, DLP/SLA, and deposition, alongside precursor and shape-memory materials, with more innovations underway. Notable products include DEGRAD INX, a biodegradable and biocompatible polyester for multiphoton lithography, and other biodegradable polyesters for deposition, as well as ECM-mimicking gelatin resins.

Their website stands out for its clarity, providing easily accessible material information, product sheets, and user guides, catering effectively to researchers’ needs. The company has made significant advancements in shear-thinning hydrogels, exemplified by CURASOL, which leverages shear-thinning behavior and rapid UV-induced photo-crosslinking to create harder-than-usual structures.

Additionally, the company is involved in pioneering research, including a heart-on-chip model to study cardiac aging aboard the ISS and cartilage regeneration projects.

The bioprinting reality remains distant from widespread clinical applications, potentially requiring decades for treatments to reach patients. However, there are profitable opportunities in bioprinting today. BIO INX exemplifies how catering to researchers with high-performance resins can be a successful strategy. Innovative resin companies have often been acquired by major players such as 3D Systems and others, highlighting numerous exit opportunities. Should BIO INX scale significantly, it could attract interest from larger pharmaceutical firms.

In a recent Bioprinting Strategies article, the challenges for bioprinting firms aiming to commercialize their innovations were explored. By focusing on researchers, BIO INX has found a sustainable model, delivering novel formulations, clear documentation, production excellence, and a world-class research team.

The industry needs more companies like BIO INX that drive breakthroughs and provide practical, high-quality materials for bioprinting. As the field evolves, the next breakthrough could emerge unexpectedly, driven by researchers striving to engineer transformative solutions with advanced materials.