Why Collaboration Is Key To Success For 3D Bioprinting And Regenerative Medicine
By Sophia Ononye-Onyia, PhD MPH MBA
The history of regenerative medicine dates several centuries but its advancement in recent years is as a result of surgical implants such as artificial hips and increasingly sophisticated bio-material scaffolds such as skin grafts. In particular, 3D bioprinting has played an integral role in further revolutionizing regenerative medicine by making it possible to develop human organs and tissues in a laboratory environment. Interestingly, nearly half of the study participants in a recent poll indicated that 3D bioprinting will replace the need for donor organs between 10 to 20 years from now. Given that long waiting times may become life-threatening, particularly for the elderly and patients with advanced diseases, 3D bioprinting may offer a viable and cost-efficient alternative for patients all over the world. However, for regenerative medicine as a field to truly advance, it would require an intricate interplay between manufacturers, hospital systems, physicians, patients, and even governments.
There are several reasons why collaboration will be pivotal to the advancement of this field. First, the body of evidence for regenerative medicine tools such as 3D bioprinting needs to be further substantiated by clinical studies. Since the invention of the first 3D printer by Charles Hill in 1984, scientists have scurried to find innovative applications in the life sciences. Yet, it wasn’t until 2006 that the first lab-grown human bladder was implanted by a team at Wake Forest University. However, given the highly skeptical nature of the life science industry toward emerging technologies, investment dollars may be derailed for the startup biotechnology companies and academic institutions that are working on this fairly nascent technology. These organizations include the University of Minnesota, Tel Aviv University, BioLife4D, CollPlant Biotechnology, and CellInk. The dilemma is that despite limited clinical data, funding from governments, financial institutions, and strategic partners will be pivotal for generating the proof-of-concept and clinical data needed to advance the field.
Secondly, the cost structures, economies of scale and economies of scope need to be worked out to ensure maximal cost-effectiveness. This cannot be achieved by a single entity. Peer-reviewed scientific publications suggest that organ impairments are economically burdensome to the healthcare systems while exacerbating global and national health disparities. The demand for organ transplants continues to rise with the surge of chronic diseases, which are the leading cause of global deaths. Notably, cardiovascular disease and lung cancers are the leading causes of death worldwide. Thus,, it should come as no surprise that requests for heart and lung donations are in the top five lists of many transplant hospitals. Yet, the average waiting times for vital organs such as human hearts and lungs typically exceed six months based on a 2020 Milliman report. Consequently, the application of 3D printing in regenerative medicine may be life-saving and less financially burdensome for the millions of patients all over the world who are in dire need of organ donations.
Third, and perhaps most importantly, mass use of 3D-printed organs and tissues may be impeded by complex logistics and cost structures, including the need for sophisticated transplant surgeons and medical infrastructure. For example, overall efficiency in the organ bioprinting process can be achieved with a shift towards allogeneic or off-the-shelf organ printing versus current reliance on autologous methods from host patients. In addition, global pandemic-related financial uncertainty may reduce investment dollars and further delay widespread clinical use.
Taken together, nearly seamless collaborations will be needed to optimize feasibility and cost-effectiveness. Collaboration will be pivotal to navigating the emerging field of regenerative medicine as well as the fairly nascent 3D bioprinting technology. This will likely include strategic partnerships among bioprinting companies (e.g. CollPlant Biotechnology, Cellink), organ manufacturers (e.g. United Therapeutics), 3D printing companies (e.g. 3D Systems), hospitals/hospital systems (e.g. Hospital Corporation of America) and possibly even financial institutions.
In closing, as the world continues to struggle with the global burden of chronic diseases, regenerative medicine tools such as 3D bioprinting will play a pivotal role in addressing organ shortages. Yet for 3D bioprinting to surge, collaborations will be key to building the clinical proof required for widespread use.
Dr. Sophia Ononye-Onyia is a Yale-trained molecular oncologist and founder and CEO of The Sophia Consulting Firm, a New York City life-sciences marketing and communications consultancy. She is also the host of her firm’s Amplifying Scientific Innovation Podcast