Technology developer and manufacturer Demcon joins forces with ReGEN Biomedical, which focuses on growing biological tissues for regenerative medicine and pharmaceutical screening. Demcon is a technology partner of ReGEN Biomedical, and has also become a co-shareholder.
ReGEN Biomedical stems from Maastricht University and is based in the Limburg capital. It is a spin-off from the research group of University Professor Clemens van Blitterswijk, founder of tissue engineering in Europe and internationally leading researcher in the field of tissue repair. ReGEN Biomedical focuses on growing large quantities of functional microtissues. It aims to use these tissues as building blocks for clinical applications in microtissues for clinical application in macrotissues and, eventually, organs.
RegMed XB pilot plant
It is part of the RegMed XB pilot plant, a national infrastructure covering the entire chain from development to production of stem cells, mini-organs, tissues and smart (bio)materials. The pilot plant is an initiative of the Dutch-Flemish public-private partnership RegMed XB. Its realisation will receive support from the National Growth Fund.
A first production line has been realised at Brightlands Maastricht Health Campus. It was co-financed from the National Growth Fund and was officially commissioned in September.
Personalised medicine and regenerative medicine
The company's tissues play an important role in developing personalised medication. For instance, the tissue enables the mimicry of patients' organs and pre-targeted testing of medication.
The biological tissues developed by ReGEN Biomedical are aimed at regenerative medicine, among other things. This form of medicine focuses on preventing or curing diseases and other conditions by regenerating cells, tissues and entire organs. Using stem cell therapy and tissue technology, regenerative medicine is about to make the step to large-scale clinical application.
The Netherlands is actively responding to this with RegMed XB, a public-private partnership of both Dutch and Flemish clusters for regenerative medicine. In doing so, the partnership receives support from the National Growth Fund. This fund of the Dutch government aims to support projects that can realise long-term economic growth.
Netherlands at the forefront of regenerative medicine
A key goal of RegMed XB is to strengthen the Netherlands' international leading position in regenerative medicine. RegMed XB's pilot plant supports companies and research institutions in developing new therapies and production technology and services. In doing so, the factory covers the entire regenerative medicine value chain, from biomaterials and stem cells to tissues. Five pilot lines in Eindhoven, Leiden, Utrecht and Maastricht are part of the initiative.
As a co-shareholder of ReGEN Biomedical, Demcon aims to contribute to scaling up production technology and further developing regenerative medicine. The cooperation agreement between the two parties was officially signed on 17 January. The experience gained by the parties want to use it to develop advanced and efficient tissue production technology on an industrial scale.
Author: Wouter Hoeffnagel
