£1.9M UK project aims to develop new sustainable materials for bioprocessing applications.
A new collaboration between academia and industry in the United Kingdom (UK) is aiming to make additive manufacturing (AM) more sustainable through the development of new materials for 3D printing. Project Nexus will brings together four companies and two universities to create additive materials for single-use bioprocessing equipment, such as bio reactors.
The four companies involved are:
- Photocentric: Focusing on LCD-based 3D printers and high-performance photopolymers, the company was founded in 2002 to commercialize a patent for prepackaging photopolymers to enable stamp making via small, flexographic printing plates.
- Sartorius: Supporting life sciences research and the biopharmaceutical industry, this German company boasts 60 production and sales sites worldwide, with products and services focusing on research, quality control and manufacturing of biotech medications, vaccines and cell and gene therapies.
- Metamorphic: A consultancy focusing on design for additive manufacturing (DfAM) and simulation, founded in 2021, and specializing in early-stage technology and innovation projects.
- CPI: The Centre for Process Innovation is a technology and social enterprise focusing on food technology, energy storage, health, materials and pharmaceuticals. CPI aims to help small- and medium-size companies develop, prototype and scale new products and processes.
In addition, the collaboration involves the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) and the Department of Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London. Together, these organizations will work toward the scalable production of AM single-use bioreactors, reducing their contribution to global plastic waste.
“Through harnessing the advanced capabilities of our latest 3D printing innovation, JENI, we’re really excited to be part of this important partnership and the development of a new generation of cost effective, sustainable solutions for biopharma,” said Paul Holt, founder and managing director of Photocentric, in a press release. JENI is described by the company as a fully automated digital mass manufacturing platform.
“We’re excited to contribute our expertise in material innovation to Project Nexus,” said Tony Jackson, director of formulation at CPI in the same release. “By developing a high-performance, bio-based resin tailored for bioreactors, we are enabling a more sustainable future for biopharmaceutical manufacturing. Our focus on circularity and end-of-life solutions ensures that this project not only advances technological capabilities but also drives meaningful progress towards net zero goals. We look forward to collaborating with our partners to redefine the role of additive manufacturing in the sector.”
“We are excited to be working alongside leading experts from industry and academia to address one of the biggest challenges faced by the bioprocessing industry today,” said Manolis Papstavrou, director at Metamorphic. “Nexus embodies our commitment to innovation; we will be pushing the boundaries of bioreactor performance and resource efficiency by leveraging the design freedom that Additive Manufacturing has to offer.”
The Nexus Project is set to deliver over the next 24 months, with further updates to come in the interim.
