The Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) yesterday unveiled more than 40 biomedical technologies developed by its employees, including a serum-free medium for stem cells that allowed a dog with limited mobility to walk, and the world’s first 3D printed hollow bone nails, as it held its first “Bio Day.”
Large international factories had a monopoly on such technology in the past, but Taiwan has, through its own research, achieved success in transplanting the cells into animals, Biomedical Technology and Device Research Laboratories director Shau Yio-wha (邵耀華) said.
The Hsinchu County-based institute has accomplished much in terms of research, but remains little known by the public and even others in the field, which is why it held its first-ever ITRI Bio Day to provide individuals in the medical industry with a more complete understanding of biotechnology, Shau said.
The institute developed a serum-free cell culture medium for mesenchymal stem cells — multipotent stromal cells that can differentiate into a variety of cell types — which was tested on a Labrador retriever with ailing hip joints, he said.
Twenty-one weeks after the stem cells were injected into the 10-year-old, 60kg dog, the labrador was able to roam freely again, Shau said.
The institute plans to extend this application to human trials, while a pilot plant would be established by the end of this year to further develop the cell regeneration technology, he said.
The institute has also produced porous customizable bone nails, tooth root explants and other implantable materials using 3D printing technology, which can be used in cancellous bone patients or in repairing ligaments, he said.
Medicine could be added to the hollow bone nails for speedier recovery, and the porous structure could induce bone cell growth and tissue integration, he said.
The animal testing results showed that the healing effect and the strength of 3D-printed bone nails are two to four times better than existing products, and the bone nails could shorten the post-surgery healing time by more than 50 percent compared with existing products, he said.
An implantable, high-water content biomaterial that is biodegradable — meaning it does not require surgical removal — is a good candidate for corneal cover for cornea restoration, he said.
Other applications of the technology could include burn wound dressing and skincare products, Shau said.
A collagen scaffold antibody that has a strong grip on target cells could connect two different types of antibody medicines to create a new structure of antibody drug, so a reduced dosage would be needed for such a drug to be effective, he said.
The institute has also created a handheld optical coherence tomography device that could display real-time images of skin tissue structures, providing a clearer understanding of the pattern changes of the epidermis and dermis layers, collagen content distribution and pores condition, he said, adding that the device could find wide use in medical clinics and the beauty industry.
The institute has formed a partnership with the pharmaceutical industry to utilize its patented innovations, Shau said.
Additional reporting by Hung You-fang
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