The implant is targeted at knee injury patients who are younger and more active, typically under 55 years old. The duo developed the new proprietary material for a new type of cartilage implant that can replace lost cartilage on a short-term basis and can fuse with the body in the longer term. Holmes was exploring strategies for scaling up existing experimental materials to meet clinical needs and discovered that 3D printed nPU has mechanical properties similar to cartilage and can support vascularized bone growth, which is essential for integrating any joint implant and its clinical success. So Nanochon’s ultimate goal is to commercialize a treatment with much better outcomes and be widely accessible to patients and surgeons.īuilt upon research for scaling up existing experimental materials to meet clinical needs, Holmes and Castro saw potential in a composite material called nanostructured polyurethane (nPU) as a cartilage replacement due to its unique chemical and physical properties, which allow it to support rapid stem cell growth and tissue formation. If left untreated, these injuries can cause the patient pain, lead to advanced joint disease, and the need for knee replacement surgery. Its first proprietary product, Chondrograft, is a 3D printed polymer implant awaiting FDA approval that fills and regenerates damaged areas of the cartilage surface in joints, typically associated with sports injuries and osteoarthritis. The process will leverage several key technologies from the BICO portfolio to enable what is described as a “first of its kind solution” and will also make Scienion a key manufacturing partner for Nanochon over the coming decade.įounded in 2016 by mechanical engineer and life science entrepreneur Ben Holmes and tissue engineer Nathan Castro, Nanochon targets 3D printed products for soft tissue repair in orthopedics. The agreement will provide BICO’s company Scienion, the opportunity to become Nanochon’s contract manufacturer for cartilage resurfacing implants. “We’re thrilled to leverage BICO’s bio automation manufacturing and technology expertise to help bring this product to millions of patients around the world.” “Nanochon’s approach to regenerative joint replacement has the potential to improve the lives of tens of millions of people each year,” explained Erik Gatenholm, CEO and co-founder of BICO. Nanochon has developed highly-engineered implants for clinical trials. The deal aligns with a crucial part of BICO’s Next Generation Core Industrial Ecosystems that enable tissue engineering, diagnostics, multi-omics, and cell line development. At the same time, BICO will invest $400,000 in Nanochon’s Seed funding round to help advance its regenerative medicine technology, scale its manufacturing processes, and accelerate clinical trials. Now, BICO ( formerly Cellink) and the Washington D.C.-based MedTech startup are teaming up to develop 3D printed regenerative joint implants that could start clinical trials as soon as 2023.Īs part of the deal, Nanochon will purchase $1.5 million worth of products and services from BICO’s bio automation services subsidiary Scienion to create the joint implants, which promise faster and more successful recoveries for patients while reducing costs to health providers, payers, and patients. For five years, Nanochon has been developing a 3D printed implantable device and novel nanomaterial to treat cartilage loss and damage in joints as an alternative to knee replacements.