Bayer Partners with Tel Aviv University to Test Drugs on 3D-Printed Human Heart Tissues

Jul 05, 2020 09:34 CST Updated 09:34

Bayer

Pharmaceutical Product R&D Developer

Ramot

Technology Transfer Service Provider

Tel Aviv University

Tel Aviv University was established in 1956. As the largest university in Israel, it offers a wide range of disciplines and places significant emphasis on research in both basic and applied sciences. The university also houses specialized research institutes primarily engaged in strategic studies, healthcare system management, technology forecasting, and energy research.

China 3D Printing Network, July 5th — For decades, researchers have undoubtedly lived and worked within a 2D paradigm, making significant progress by relying on basic equipment such as Petri dishes for testing and experimentation. However, the ability to 3D print (or bioprint) tissues has exponentially expanded scientists’ resources. Now, Tel Aviv University (TAU), through its technology transfer company Ramot, is collaborating with Bayer to test drugs on 3D-printed cardiac tissue.
Despite the numerous advantages of bioprinting, eliminating animal experimentation in laboratories would certainly be an improvement.Professor Tal Dvir of TAU stated, “In a Petri dish, all cells are arranged in 2D; this represents merely a monolayer of cells.” Professor Dvir, the scientist responsible for developing the world’s first functional 3D-printed heart, added, “In contrast, our engineered tissue is 3D-printed, thus more closely resembling native cardiac tissue.” The agreement between Bayer and TAU states that their collaboration will involve the development and testing of an in vitro cardiotoxicity platform at the Dvir Laboratory for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine. This advances drug testing to a new level and achieves physiological relevance through tissue engineering.
由患者自己的材料和细胞制成的3D打印的小型人体心脏

3D-Printed Miniature Human Heart Made from the Patient’s Own Materials and Cells. (Photo source: Tel Aviv University)
“Our bioprinted constructs contain myocardium, blood vessels, and extracellular matrix, which connect different cells through biochemical, mechanical, and electrical interactions. Transferring from Petri dishes to 3D-printed tissues can significantly improve drug testing, saving valuable time and money, with the aim of producing safer and more effective drugs.”“Our ultimate goal is to design an entire human heart, including all the different chambers, valves, arteries, and veins—the best analogue of this complex organ—to achieve a better toxicology screening process.”In fact, this new study expands on previous work that used 3D-printed cardiac patches to promote heart regeneration in patients with cardiovascular disease. The patch serves as a prime example of personalized therapy, as it is fabricated from adipose tissue harvested from the patient’s own body.

During the research project, they were also able to 3D-print “integrated structures,” including entire hearts. Other scientists around the world have also conducted research on bioprinted cardiac tissues, novel bioinks, and the development of scaffold-free cardiac constructs.As researchers anticipate, the medical field will be transformed over the next decade or so by the 3D printing of patient-specific human organs, as patients will no longer need to worry about waiting lists (and the risk of death during this prolonged period) or transplant rejection.Ramot has also recently licensed its technology to Matricelf, a product that enables the manufacture of patient-specific spinal implants.

Translated by China 3D Printing Network!

(Editor: China 3D Printing Network)