BASF and Poietis sign 3D bioprinting technology agreement

31-Oct-2017 - Last updated on 31-Oct-2017 at 13:12 GMT

BASF has expanded its footprint in the expanding areas of 3D bioprinting, a move that is expected to further increase its offerings in this area to the cosmetics and personal care industry.

Two years after concluding a research and deveoplment agreement in this area, BASF and Poietis have announced the signing of a framework agreement on further development and services in 3D bioprinting technology.

The agreement will enable BASF to improve its existing 3D laser-assisted skin models, which have been developed since 2015 as a means of evaluating cosmetic ingredients for the skin care category.

Fulfilling strict regulations to avoid animal testing

The implementation of REACH in Europe meant that the testing of skin care ingredients and formulations on animals was completely outlawed, leading to the need for skin replication.

The 3D laser-assisted bioprinting technology means that organic skin tissues can be reproduced, allowing a precise positioning of skin cells in three-dimensional structures, the researcher teams claim.

“Bio-printed 3D models are the method of choice for the predictive evaluation of ingredients as these models reproduce the cell environment in vitro by having mechanical and metabolic functionalities close to the vivo”, explained Fabien Guillemot, Founder and President of Poietis.

Obtaining the optimal bioprinted epedermis

The development teams from both companies say that they have gained significant insights into the parameters and kinetics of dermis maturation, enabling them to obtain an optimally mature and thick dermis for the epidermal printing – a model that is as close to human skin as possible.

In the coming years, BASF says that it intends to develop and market several active ingredients for cosmetic products that harness the findings of the collaboration.

“This agreement confirms a fruitful scientific collaboration and strengthens our partnership with the leading ingredients manufacturer for the personal care market. This is a formal recognition of Poietis' unique technology and its valorization driven by new developments since the creation of the company”, said Bruno Brisson, Poietis Co-Founder and Vice President Business Development.