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The Korea Herald
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THE INVESTOR
March 29, 2024

Bio

T&R Biofab signs deal with Merck to commercialize bio ink

  • PUBLISHED :August 22, 2018 - 16:30
  • UPDATED :August 22, 2018 - 16:40
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[THE INVESTOR] T&R Biofab said on Aug. 22 it has signed an original equipment manufacturing agreement with German pharma firm Merck to supply its bio ink that allows 3D printing of complex living tissues.

Under the deal, the ink will be commercialized by the end of this year through an online site of US-based Sigma-Aldrich, which was acquired by Merck in 2014. 

The financial terms and conditions have not been decided, according to the company. 

The decellularized extracellular matrix type ink contains proteins specific to its origin tissue and provide tissue specific microenvironment to cells, resulting in higher cell survival rate after 3D cell printing compared to other bio ink products, a company official told The Investor.

“This will be an opportunity to provide practical applications and value for bio ink and 3D bio printing, which have been treated only as an academic concept,” he said.

Founded in 2013 by Korea Polytechnic University professor Yun Won-soo, the company also develops medical devices for transplantation and tissue regeneration for the use in orthopedics, plastic surgery and dentistry.

Unlike competitors who develop bio inks with chemicals like gelatin and collagen, the company utilizes tissues such as liver and skin to manufacture artificial organs.

“Although the application of 3D printed artificial organs are limited to research use, we expect the demand will grow as they may replace animal organs which are used in clinical trials,” the official said.

The firm has attracted investments worth 26 billion won (US$23.23 million) from Korea Investment Partners, Korea Development Bank, Kiwoom Securities and others.

The country’s bourse operator Korea Exchange is currently reviewing T&R Biofab’s application to launch an initial public offering on the tech-laden KOSDAQ market in the second half.

By Park Han-na (hnpark@heraldcorp.com)   

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