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Commercialization of bioprinting technology

Figure 2. The role of bioprinting in different stages of drug discovery.

In comparison to other fabrication methods,
3D bioprinting offers increased ability to position
multiple cell types precisely mimicking the native
tissue design. Another opportunity provided by
bioprinting is creating a 3D construct considering
coculture and vascularization possibilities by
depositing multiple cell types (Figure 3). The
ability to process several materials, complex
spatial positioning and make bioprinting a very
adaptive technology and increased cell-matrix
interactions improves the viability of cells for
longer periods. Recent studies have demonstrated
that bioprinting allows high-throughput fabrication
in generating [42,43] . Figure 3. Type-specific 3D spheroids robotically
Drug testing requires perfusion, which is inserted into the collagen grid represent in vitro
relatively easy for bioprinted constructs. There model of human tissue.
is increased demand for patient-specific diseased
models for personalized drug discovery and organ models in comparison to other fabrication
therapeutic planning, for which bioprinting methods. Its unique properties make bioprinting
has already demonstrated undoubted potential, a prime candidate for high-throughput industrial
especially in the application of induced applications, even though vascularization remains
pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) [44,45] . It is necessary a challenge. An interesting approach with a lot
to note, however, that there have not been cases of promise for fabrication of in vitro tissue and
of completely functional tissue made of bioprinted organ models is combining bioreactors with on-
iPSCs . Considering all of the advantages chip perfusion. Naturally, bioprinters will need to
[45]
detailed above, there are multiple in vitro models increase their user-friendliness and lower the costs
for drug testing that has already been created to become commercially viable on a large scale. In
(detailed in Table 1) . summary, bioprinted 3D models will likely soon
[46]
3D bioprinting technology has provided major be adopted by pharmaceutical companies for drug
advantages in the fabrication of 3D tissue and discovery.

68 International Journal of Bioprinting (2020)–Volume 6, Issue 3