High Throughput Bioprinting of Tumour Models for Drug Development and Oncology Research

Project Information

TUMOURPRINT

Grant agreement ID: 829846

DOI

10.3030/829846

Project closed

EC signature date 29 October 2018

Start date 1 September 2018

End date 31 January 2021

Funded under

• INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP - Innovation In SMEs

Total cost

€ 3 500 467,50

EU contribution

€ 2 450 327,25

Coordinated by

BICO GROUP AB
Sweden

Periodic Reporting for period 3 - TUMOURPRINT (High Throughput Bioprinting of Tumour Models for Drug Development and Oncology Research)

Reporting period: 2020-09-01 to 2021-01-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

CELLINK will develop and commercialise TumourPrint - a high throughput platform for bioprinting of live tumour models for pharmaceutical drug development and large-scale cancer research. Bioprinting constitutes the most advanced method for fabricating fidel tissue models, using live cells in combination with cell-instructive bioinks (specially formulated hydrogels that provide cells with an optimal environment for survival, growth and proper 3D development). The high throughput platform - completely new to the market - is designed according to user needs. It will revolutionise drug development processes through serial production of fidel cancer models in an automated, precise and reproducible way. The platform offers unparalleled printing capacity and is integrated with robotics and none-destructive analytical methods capable of scoring drug responses in printed constructs.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

In the first reporting period significant progress has been achieved regarding the hardware and software components of the platform. The progress achieved allows the team to intensify development and validation activities envisaged for the second reporting period.
In PR2 the project is proceeding according to the time plan and in line with our expectations. The major deliverables and milestones have been submitted to the EU. In the PR2 we have achieved Milestone 2, Milestone 3 and Milestone 5.

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)

Current oncology approaches principally rely on unsatisfactory 2D mono-cell cultures and animal models to predict outcomes in humans, resulting in exasperatingly high attrition rates of cancer drug candidates in clinical trials. The economic and ethically challenging implications of failed trials provide CELLINK with a unique value proposition to drive willingness-topay for their disruptive platform. TumourPrint will address today’s pharmaceutical challenges by producing tumour models capable of mimicking size, heterogeneity and vascularity of the human tumour microenvironment in a fidel way. CELLINK has a proven track-record of successfully developing and commercialising products according to user needs; they developed the world’s first universal bioink, have commercialized three generations of bioprinters and optimised 18 cellspecific bioinks. Since the company’s establishment in 2016, CELLINK has commercialised its technology in over 40 countries, grown its organisation ten-fold and secured collaborations with several global pharmaceutical giants.

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