3D printer manufacturers CELLINK and Nanoscribe, sister companies under the BICO banner, have announced their new jointly-developed Quantum X bio 3D printing system.
The machine combines the bioprinting capabilities of CELLINK with Nanoscribe’s Two-Photon Polymerization (2PP) technology, and is marketed as the “world’s most accurate 3D bioprinter”.
With its sub-micron resolution printing capabilities, the Quantum X bio is ultimately intended to miniaturize bioprinting. CELLINK and Nanoscribe have aimed their latest system at research institutions and R&D teams seeking advanced biomedical applications such as tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.
“Co-developing products like this is the exact reason why we take such pride in being a part of the BICO group,” says Cecilia Edobo, CEO of CELLINK. “We look forward to delivering this system to our customers and witnessing the marvelous breakthroughs they will achieve.”
United under BICO
BICO, the parent company of both CELLINK and Nanoscribe, describes itself as a bioconvergence firm. By combining advanced technologies such as 3D bioprinting, AI, and robotics, the company aims to enable a wide variety of biomedical applications for tissue engineering, drug development, and regenerative medicine. Thanks to its CELLINK subsidiary, BICO’s bioprinters, bioinks, software, and services are used by over 1,000 academic, pharmaceutical, and industrial labs around the world.
Since rebranding back in August 2021, BICO has been issued two new patents for the 3D bioprinting of temperature-sensitive bioinks. The firm’s achievements are ultimately designed to enable higher cell viability and enhanced reproducibility with bioinks such as collagen and gelatin, accelerating R&D applications.
More recently, the company also signed a $1.5 million contract manufacturing deal with regenerative joint replacement start-up Nanochon. The deal will see Nanochon purchase products and services worth $1.5 million from BICO’s SCIENION company to develop its 3D printed regenerative joint implants, which the start-up claims will deliver faster recoveries for patients while reducing costs to health providers.
Founded in 2007, Nanoscribe is one of the more recent additions to the BICO family, having been acquired for €50 million back in May 2021. The company’s product portfolio includes the Quantum X 3D printer, the Quantum X shape, and several nanoprinting resins.
Martin Hermatschweiler, CEO of Nanoscribe, said, “Our industry-proven Two-Photon Polymerization technology, combined with CELLINK’s bioprinting expertise, will be a game-changer for many challenging biological and biomedical applications, and we look forward to expanding our market-leading 3D Microfabrication position in the life sciences with a dedicated bioprinter.”
The Quantum X bio 3D printer
The upcoming Quantum X bio 3D printer is based on Nanoscribe’s established Quantum X platform. Operating on a custom version of the company’s 2PP technology, the system has been adapted for bioprinting applications. With help from the bioprinting experts at CELLINK, the partners have integrated features such as precise temperature control, a sterile environment, and compatibility with functionalized biomaterials.
Much like its 2PP predecessors, the Quantum X bio is capable of printing resolutions down to just 100 nanometers. This level of detail in bio-fabrication is expected to expedite innovation in fields such as tissue engineering, smart hydrogel materials, drug delivery, mechanobiology, and vascularized tissues.
According to BICO, the new 3D bioprinter will enable users to fabricate custom scaffolds for cell studies, microfluidic elements, microneedle arrays, and even microrobots.
Hermatschweiler adds, “The launch of Quantum X bio confirms the power of collaboration within the BICO Group, and we are excited to unlock the full potential at the merger of technical and life science disciplines.”
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Featured image shows the Quantum X bio 3D printer. Photo via BICO.
