Auxilium Biotechnologies, a San Diego medtech startup, is 3D printing medical devices in space. The company uses a DLP-based bioprinter called the Auxilium Microfabrication Platform (AMP-1) to create biomimetic devices for nerve injuries. A recent deployment of the AMP-1 to the International Space Station (ISS) resulted in a successful test, described by Auxilium CEO Jacob Koffler as “a landmark achievement for space biomanufacturing.”
The milestone was reached late in 2024, when the 3D bioprinter was used to 3D print eight medical devices in microgravity in just two hours. “AMP-1 is the most advanced 3D printing platform ever sent to space, enabling us to develop regenerative medicine treatments that can transform patient care,” said the CEO.
The benefits and applications of 3D printing in space
The benefits of microgravity for bioprinting include precise material distribution and the capacity to produce more advanced and finer structures that would crumble under the Earth’s gravity. These are critical for implants that incorporate biological materials or therapeutic agents, which deliver consistency and reliability that Earth-based manufacturing struggles to achieve.
Medical applications for the 3D printed devices include treating patients in a less invasive manner in cases where nerve regeneration is required. In the future, potential applications include equipping inter-planetary voyages. For example, providing medical treatment to spaceship crew on long trips.
Presently, the AMP-1 uses preloaded cartridges to 3D print implants. According to Isac Lazarovits, Auxilium’s Director of Engineering, “installation of the printer on the ISS required only two minutes of astronaut time before it was fully operational,” minimizing costly labor valued at up to $130,000 per hour. The system’s lightweight cartridges ensure cost-effective and sustainable transportation via commercial resupply missions when the implants are brought back to Earth.
CEO Koffler said, “This facility not only demonstrates the feasibility of mass 3D printing production in space but also highlights the economic potential of space-based manufacturing. Bioprinting in microgravity will drive innovation benefiting life on Earth, aboard commercial space stations in Low Earth Orbit, and in future space exploration, including upcoming Moon missions.”
“For the first time, we have achieved a straightforward integration solution for a manufacturing facility in space,” added Auxilium’s Director of Engineering.
Auxilium’s use of bioprinting in microgravity is built on NASA‘s pioneering legacy in medical innovations. For instance, life-saving devices like insulin pumps and artificial heart defibrillators, and even digital imaging for MRIs and CT scans, were enhanced by LVADs (Left Ventricular Assist Devices).
Bioprinting and manufacturing in space
Interestingly, other organizations also want to deploy bioprinters in orbit as part of the 3D printing space race. For example, Brinter AM Technologies Oy, a bioprinting company based in Finland, announced that it would send its Brinter Core 3D bioprinter to the ISS. Redwire Space NV will receive the bioprinter from Brinter. The European Space Agency is funding a project led by the space system manufacturer to design, develop, and validate the 3D-BioSystem Facility for the ISS.
Following adoption, the Brinter Core will be able fulfill the demanding space technology requirements and 3D print 3D biosamples when in orbit. The system will be incorporated into the Columbus module of the ISS’s 3D-BioSystem facility.
Another project hopes to advance the possibility of manufacturing in space. Researchers at the James Watt School of Engineering, University of Glasgow have designed a 3D printing system for low-gravity environments. Dr. Gilles Bailet is the project leader and has obtained a patent for this innovative technology, which tackles the challenges that come with additive manufacturing in space.
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Featured image shows a Perfusable Vasculature. Photo via Auxilium Biotechnologies.
