Boston Micro Fabrication (BMF) has set up a business headquartered in San Diego to develop and commercialise 3D BioChips through cultivating large-scale tissues in vitro to help accelerate new drug and cosmetic development.
The company has introduced the BMF Biotechnology Inc. business unit to better support the use of highly precise, microfluidic solutions in advanced drug development, pharmaceutical and cosmetic research. BMF Biotechnology Inc will leverage BMF's Projection Micro Stereolithography (PµSL) 3D printing technology.
BMF's launch of the new business follows a steady expansion of its core competencies in delivering products around its PµSL technology starting in late 2022. Eighteen months ago, BMF inaugurated the San Diego Research Institute, which has been dedicated to advancing innovative microfluidic BioChips for drug discovery and cosmetic testing.
By faithfully replicating the physiological conditions found in the human body, BMF Biotechnology’s BioChips are said to offer a powerful platform for studying health and disease biological mechanisms, evaluating drug and cosmetic safety and efficacy, and predicting patient responses. BMF BioChips feature an integrated 'vascular-mimetic' network of channels, enabling in vivo-like nutrient and waste exchange and compound delivery across the entire large tissue. This potentially yields more precise testing results and compound sensitivity compared to traditional 2D cell culture and animal models.
Robust tissue models, such as tumour models for assessing drug efficacy, kidney models for evaluating drug safety, and skin models for cosmetic assessments have been consistently cultivated. Additionally, collaborations with global partners have led to the development of various other tissue models to help researchers better understand the biological mechanisms of health and disease, including liver and heart conditions, lung cancer, endometrial cancer, and more.
"Building on success that BMF has had with other self-driven innovations such as the UltraThineer veneers, the launch of BMF Biotechnology Inc. represents a significant leap forward in our ability to harness the potential of 3D BioChip technology," said Dr. Jennifer Sun, Chief Scientific Officer of BMF Biotechnology Inc. "With our innovative technology and approach, we aim to empower researchers with the tools they need to translate scientific discoveries into tangible therapeutic solutions that improve patient outcomes."
BMF Biotechnology Inc has also set up a Partner Program, whereby the company will recruit collaborators to help develop and validate its BioChip products.
