Company special: First 3D blood vessel bio-printer unveiled

Biotechnological company Sichuan Revotek Co has unveiled the world's first 3D blood vessel bio-printer, an industry breakthrough that puts the Chengdu-based firm at the forefront of global organ rebuilding.

Using two nozzles operating alternately, the printer can complete a 10-centimeter blood vessel within minutes. The device uses a self-developed stem cell bio-ink technology and operators can remotely control the production by taking advantage of a cloud-computing platform, the company said.

Yang Keng, chairman of Sichuan Languang Development Co, the holding company of Revotek, said the "creative breakthrough" of making 3D-printed blood vessels shows the company has mastered stem cell-based 3D bio-printing technology.

Shanghai-listed Languang Development announced recently it will invest 215 million yuan ($34.1 million) to support Revotek's research and development in the next two to three years. Revotek said it is recruiting more professionals and seeking international cooperation.

"This type of technology remains in its infancy globally. We will partner with the world's best doctors and hospitals in on-field research and product development. We are planning to set up collaboration centers in Europe and the United States," Yang said.

Kang Yujian, chief scientist of Revotek, said vessels that transport nutrients to organs are indispensable elements when creating any organs.

The US-born academic led a team to create a bio-ink that can personalize stem cells to make sure it fits different patients. He was also responsible for the 3D blood vessel printing project under a national high-tech R&D program.

"We have successfully completed blood vessel regeneration using the 3D printer," Kang said, adding the data models were based on a cloud platform.

Revotek is beefing up its research and development capability in Southwest China's Sichuan province.

With the help of its cashrich parent company Languang Development, Revotek is building a new R&D facility that can accommodate 20 labs. The facility will be put into use by mid-2016.

Yang said the facility would become a key platform for international technology collaboration.

"Now we have top researchers from the United Kingdom and the US; we also have China, a vast market for bio-technologies. That is why Revotek is on track to build something big," Yang said.

Vibrant market

Yang, a veteran in the automobile and real estate businesses, said although he is not an expert on the sophisticated technical details of the bio-industry, he knows China's healthcare market will be one of the world's most vibrant in the coming years.

"After decades of rapid economic development, China is starting to show a great appetite for health-related products and services. However, it is obvious that current supply cannot meet the surging demands," he said.

"In addition, the 3D printing industry fueled the fourth industrial revolution, that's where the next-generation medical technologies go."

China has been looking at cutting-edge technology development programs to empower its R&D capability in key areas, such as high-accuracy manufacturing, cloud computing and bio-industry.

Revotek's 3D bio-printing technologies have attracted a number of heavyweights in both investment and 3D manufacturing markets.

Jim Rogers, a US businessman and investor, said he was very interested in the technologies Revotek is developing.

"It is amazing to see the achievement of Revotek. Yang was a successful businessman in many areas, and it looks like he is about to make another success in the medical industry," Rogers said.

Luo Jun, secretary of the World 3D Printing Technology Industry Alliance, said China's 3D printing market is set to embrace another round of rapid growth in sectors such as manufacturing and medicine.

"The public started to know about 3D printers for civil use a couple of years ago. Now, China is about to grow specialized 3D printing technologies that require sophisticated printing materials and much higher accuracy," Luo said.

He estimated that China's 3D printing industry is likely to worth 10 billion yuan by 2016.

According to market research firm Canalys, roughly 133,000 3D printers were shipped worldwide in 2014, representing a 68-percent increase from a year ago. The total market revenue in 2015 could hit $5.2 billion, up by 56 percent year-on-year.

The main growth in 3D printer shipments has been from material extrusion 3D printers, which make up the vast majority of the shipments seen in the consumer sector.

However, as China, the US and Germany heavily invested in the for-enterprise 3D printing industry, the situation is about to change.

The aerospace, automotive, and medical sectors will continue to be the major revenue drivers during the next five years, as global giants such as GE, Boeing and BMW invest millions of dollars into the technology, according to a Canalys report.

(China Daily 11/03/2015 page14)