A Philadelphia startup that developed a 3D bioprinter business to produce lifelike tissue to support medical research has had quite a few changes in just the past few months. It rebranded from BioBots to Allevi as it rolled out new software to make the use of its bioprinter less time-consuming for academic researchers.
The company also has a new CEO in the form of Ricky Solorzano, a cofounder who replaced Danny Cabrera, another cofounder who left the business earlier this year. Cabrera said in an email he is currently working on a new genetic engineering project. Solorzano offered an update on Allevi’s progress in a phone interview.
With the Rise of AI, What IP Disputes in Healthcare Are Likely to Emerge?
Munck Wilson Mandala Partner Greg Howison shared his perspective on some of the legal ramifications around AI, IP, connected devices and the data they generate, in response to emailed questions.
Solorzano noted that four years ago bioprinters were a curiosity and access was limited but in the past few years, academics have embraced them to create useful models for drug development and evaluating the effects of drugs on different types of tissue.
He said the name change was spurred in part by the company’s goal to move into products that go beyond 3D bioprinters to include biofabrication tools. The business also relocated to the Pennovation Center in Philadelphia, a relatively new shared workspace on University of Pennsylvania’s extended campus.
Allevi’s new software is designed to resolve a few research challenges. Instead of researchers having to write down the protocols for an experiment each time they do them, the company provides a way for researchers to write their protocols into the software so that they can be used over and over again. Solorzano claimed it was a novel application for 3D printing.
Other changes include well categorization to allows users to vary settings within a well plate to test multiple parameters within the same experiment. Solorzano said the well categorization change condenses a process that takes nearly two months to two days.
A Personalized Approach to Medication Nonadherence
At the Abarca Forward conference earlier this year, George Van Antwerp, managing director at Deloitte, discussed how social determinants of health and a personalized member experience can improve medication adherence and health outcomes.
In a nod to a user base that hacks its machines to create complex tissues, Solorzano said it was taking stock of the research community to address their biomaterial interests.
It keeps a close eye on the 3D bioprinter user community to see which materials are the most useful, Solorzano said. Gelatin-based materials are the most promising but Allevi is also interested in using more patterned collagen. Harder tissue such as cartilage and bone are also in the planning stages.
Allevi has plenty of competition in the bioprinting space. Organovo, which counts big pharma among its customers, dominates the sector. But other rivals include Swedish company Cellink, which has a few desktop bioprinter models. San Francisco startup Aether is relatively new to the business but it has a Beta model coming out soon.
