GELITA Partners With Black Drop to Develop GelMA Bioinks for 3D Bioprinting

Combining Material Science with Bioprinting Expertise

GELITA, a German manufacturer of collagen proteins and gelatin used in food, pharmaceutical, and biomedical applications, has signed a research and development agreement with Black Drop, a biotechnology company advancing 3D bioprinting technologies.

The collaboration will focus on developing bioinks for biomedical uses, including three-dimensional tissue models and implants. The work combines GELITA's material science expertise with Black Drop's experience in customized 3D bioprinting systems.

Developing Clinically Usable Bioinks

Research under the agreement will explore opportunities for novel methacrylated gelatin (GelMA) formulation on GELITA's MEDELLAPRO Ultra Low Endotoxin Gelatin. Both organizations plan to conduct practical application studies as part of this effort.

We see high-performance, clinically usable bioinks as the next crucial step in transferring 3D bioprinting to clinically relevant and industrially scalable applications, said Jannik Stadler, Head of Bioprinting Consumables and Services at Black Drop.

Ultra-Pure Gelatin for Biomedical Applications

GELITA recently launched its MEDELLAPRO Ultra Low Endotoxin Gelatin with endotoxin levels below 10 EU/g, which is highly suitable for biomedical applications in which gelling properties and purity are key.

This partnership will give us the ability to speed up validation of our ingredient solutions in a real-world scenario in order to match the evolving needs of leading researchers in the field of 3D bioprinting solutions, said Martin Junginger, Global Category Manager Pharma and Bioscience at GELITA.

These gelatin products are used as biomaterial platforms for 3D bioprinting and cell culture in human tissue engineering. The materials help mimic characteristics of native tissue and support cellular processes including adhesion, proliferation, and differentiation.