Korean startup ROKIT HEALTHCARE revolutionizing organ regeneration with 4D Bioprinting

Research & development in health sciences has taken the forefront worldwide, as the COVID-19 pandemic has devastated health systems. The importance of faster, better treatment has increased. In Biotechnology, 4D Bioprinting is ushering in a new era of improved tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Korean startup ROKIT HEALTHCARE is a 4D Bioprinting and Biotechnology company committed to bettering contributions to the field of regenerative medicine.

Established in 2012, ROKIT HEALTHCARE is now a global healthcare company committed to providing an effective autologous organ regeneration platform using its proprietary biofabrication technologies across all types of applicable diseases in the field of regenerative medicine.

Through a convergence of know-how and innovation in the areas of R&D (i.e., 4D Bioprinting, autologous stem cell technologies, and human-derived biomaterials), surgical medicine, and regulatory affairs, ROKIT HEALTHCARE supplies customized organ regeneration platform services.

ROKIT HEALTHCARE’s cutting-edge organ regeneration 4D printing platform supports clinical diagnosis technology for age-related diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease, etc. The company also offers treatment management for Diabetic Foot Ulcers (DFU) through a 4D bioprinting technology platform for tissue regeneration. The alternative method promotes a mechanism of skin reconstruction for DFU treatment for chronic wound healing in diabetic patients.

Innovative devices for organ regeneration

After a lot of research, the company had launched its first Biofabrication device, ‘ROKIT INVIVO’ in 2016. Over the years, the product has advanced, and now ROKIT HEALTHCARE offers Dr. INVIVO 4D and Dr. INVIVO 4D6.

1) Dr. INVIVO 4D

This world’s first sterile, all-in-one organ regenerator 4D device guarantees optimal cell growth environments. Equipped with sterilization functionalities, Dr. INVIVO 4D provides an extra layer of protection against contamination. It supports three types of printing techniques and provides temperature control for dispenser and bed. Dr. INVIVO 4D has been developed for biomedical researchers and material engineers to pattern cells, biomolecules, and polymers to explore multi-material 3D composite structures, from tissues to novel biocompatible materials. It comes in three options – standard, upgrade, and premium.

2) Dr. INVIVO 4D6

It equips next-generation bioprinting technology for the most complex challenges in human tissue fabrication and applications. Stepping up from simply laying cells out in a 3-dimensional space, Dr. INVIVO 4D6, with the built-in cell incubator and liquid handling functions, allows the researcher to meet the real needs of keeping cells functional while upgrading researchers’ work to high-throughput usage. This device is also available in standard, upgrade, and premium options.

DFU therapy with 4D bioprinting system

Diabetes is considered one of the topmost lifestyle diseases that are on the rise in most countries. Diabetes management has become an important solution and care. Diabetes can lead to problems in different body organs, and the danger of diabetic foot ulcers (DFU) can result in amputation. ROKIT HEALTHCARE, through its 4D bioprinting system Dr. INVIVO has developed effective regenerative therapy, decreasing the risk of amputation in patients with DFU.

The technology uses a 4D bioprinting system with a patient’s autologous fat tissue, which helps heal the diabetic foot ulcers successfully. The company has conducted clinical trials for its DFU regeneration platform on patients in India and got positive results in one treatment only. ROKIT HEALTHCARE is committed to conducting more clinical trials in South Korea, the USA, Europe, and other Asian countries.

Expansion, commercialization & investments

ROKIT HEALTHCARE’ DFU regeneration platform is set to revolutionize diabetic wound healing treatment in 2020. ROKIT HEALTHCARE has already started commercializing the DFU treatment platform that uses 4D bioprinter Dr. INVIVO in various countries. The company has signed a per region export business cooperation agreement and expects the number of sales for 2020 to reach $ 424 million and over $ 1 billion by 2022.

“ I believe there is a paradigm shift in healthcare economics, and globally, there are needs in new therapeutic methods. Therefore, we would like to become a pioneer in this new paradigm of utilizing autologous cell, cell sheet technology, and 4D biofabrication technology,” You, Seokhwan, Chairman/CEO of ROKIT HEALTHCARE states.

The company got a Series C funding from Boston-based venture capital fund DRADS Capital in 2018. ROKIT HEALTHCARE has already completed its registration as a medical device with the US Food and Drug Administration ( FDA ) for its core technology and diabetes foot treatment platform. ROKIT HEALTHCARE is already researching to expand the platform to cartilage regeneration and other skin wounds and disease.

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