Periodic Reporting for period 1 - 3DProSeed (3DProSeed: the first ready-to-use, pre-assembled, hydrogel microtiter plate for 3D cell culturess) Reporting period: 2018-01-01 to 2018-04-30 Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project Ectica Technologies develops innovative manufacturing processes for hydrogel materials and hydrogel-based products for bioresearch and drug discovery. Hydrogels are the first-choice class of materials to recreate in vitro the three-dimensional (3D) matrix of which human tissues are constituted and in which the human cells are organized.The company developed its first product, the 3DProSeedTM hydrogel well-plate. The objective of this study was to assess the technical and financial feasibility of the realization of an upgraded and fully automated manufacturing line for 3DProSeed. Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far We designed the process and engineered an upgraded manufacturing line for 3DProSeed yielding at least 100 plates/day with a discard ratio of less than 1%. The line is features a high level of automation and online quality control systems. We defined the actions to reduce current COGS making this product fit for commercialization. Also, based on the feedback of the current beta-users we developed a portfolio featuring more than ten products, varying in terms of product format and composition. Last, we developed a financial plan for the commercialization of 3DProSeed following implementation of the new line. Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far) The 3DProSeed technology will drastically accelerate the adoption of hydrogel-based cell culture platforms in bio-research and drug discovery because the users can now benefit from the advantages of a hydrogel-based 3D cell culture system while maintaining the highest level of integration in standard workflows previously used for 2D cultures. In particular, users are freed from time-consuming hydrogel assembly steps. The adoption of more physiologically-relevant in vitro systems in early drug discovery will contribute in making the drug development more efficient and in decreasing the cost linked to late failures. Logo
