Imagine a 3D-printed 'artificial bone' made of silk that tricks stem cells into thinking they are inside the body. This setup allows scientists to grow the cells that make platelets on a massive scale. It removes the need to rely on human blood donors, who are often unavailable during emergencies or pandemics.
Platelet supplies rely on human donors, leading to chronic shortages during pandemics or summer months and compatibility issues for patients. Current platelets also have a very short shelf life and require immediate delivery.
A 3D silk-based biomaterial platform and modular flow chambers that mimic human bone marrow to produce platelets ex vivo.
If you are a biotech manufacturer dealing with the instability of donor-based blood supplies — this project developed a silk-based bioreactor that produces universal platelets on-demand. This ensures a steady supply of high-quality, compatible platelets regardless of donor availability.
If you are a clinic dealing with patients who have immune reactions to previous transfusions — this project developed a system to generate HLA null platelets. This allows for personalized transfusions that avoid platelet refractoriness.
If you are a trauma center dealing with acute hemorrhage in conflict zones or surgery — this project developed an upscaled ex vivo production system. This provides a reliable source of platelets for critical bleeding events where donor blood is unavailable.
Based on available project data, specific cost or pricing details are not provided; the project is currently focused on transitioning from lab to commercial innovation via a spin-out.
Yes, the project is specifically designing and fabricating a 'big version' of the silk bioreactor to move from TRL4 to TRL6 for large-scale clinical transfusion.
The project utilizes UNICAM proprietary technology for stem cell differentiation and UNIPV disruptive bioreactor technology, with the goal of exploitation through a university spin-out.
The project period runs from 2022-10-01 to 2025-12-31, aiming to complete the transition to a commercial innovation by the end of this term.
The consortium is aligning media and stem cells with GMP requirements to ensure the production pipeline is standardized and validated for clinical use.
The consortium is highly balanced for commercialization, featuring a 50% industry ratio with 3 industrial partners and 1 SME. This mix of 2 universities and 1 research institute across 5 countries (DE, FR, IT, NL, UK) suggests a strong pipeline from academic discovery to industrial scale-up, specifically targeting a university spin-out for market entry.
Contact the Tech Transfer Office at Universita Degli Studi di Pavia
Contact us to connect with the SilkPlatelet consortium for licensing opportunities.
