Auxilium bioprints first kidney and liver tissues in space
Living tissues were manufactured using the AMP-1 orbital bioprinter
California-based Auxilium Biotechnologies has achieved a significant milestone: its AMP-1 orbital bioprinter has successfully bioprinted kidney and liver tissues in space. The 3D bioprinter was installed aboard the International Space Station (ISS) in 2024 and has been used to develop innovative medical devices and regenerative implants.
The successful bioprinting of kidney and liver tissues aboard the ISS marks the first time that either type of tissue has been manufactured in space. The printer has also been used to produce cartilage tissues as well as 28 nerve repair implants. According to the company, the versatility of being able to print both living tissues and implantable medical products in a single mission shows that its AMP-1 orbital bioprinter is viable as a “scalable, multi-product biomanufacturing platform in space”.
The tissues were printed on the ISS and recently brought back to Earth as part of Mission AXLM-3, which touched down in the Pacific on June 17, 2026. The microgravity tissues will now be used to support research at the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine (WFIRM).
“This mission represents a significant milestone for both Auxilium and the future of space biomanufacturing,” said Jacob Koffler, PhD, MBA, CEO of Auxilium. “The ability to manufacture multiple tissue types alongside clinically relevant medical products highlights both the versatility and scalability of our technology. These results build on our previous demonstration of large-scale medical device manufacturing in space and represent another step toward establishing practical production capabilities for biomedical products beyond Earth.”
Dr. Anthony Atala, MD, Professor and Director of WFIRM, added, “Successfully bioprinting living liver and kidney tissue aboard the International Space Station marks an important step forward for regenerative medicine. The uniform cell distribution achieved aboard the space station points to real possibilities for manufacturing medical devices and tissues in space.”
There are several reasons why biotechnology companies and space organizations like NASA are investing in in-space bioprinting. The primary reason is that bioprinting technologies can benefit from the micro-gravity environment of space. While on Earth, gravity causes challenges and limitations for bioprinting complex structures, in space it is possible to produce intricate 3D geometries with greater cell uniformity and without the need for scaffolds. This is opening the doors to the creation of advanced living tissues, organoids, and implants.
Another reason, as Auxilium points out, is to support the establishment of space infrastructure. “This mission represents another step toward establishing the manufacturing capabilities needed to support scientific discovery, healthcare, and human exploration beyond Earth,” the company says.
Organoids, which are mini tissue models with the same characteristics of human organs, are cited by Auxilium as a major application for its orbital bioprinting platform. Presently, organoids are mostly manufactured on Earth and launched into orbit to mature. With the ability to bioprint them directly in space, researchers will be less dependent on launch schedules and associated supply chains in the creation of organoids, which can then be used for drug discovery and testing, disease modeling, and health research in microgravity.
Looking forward, Auxilium Biotechnologies is continuing to develop and advance its bioprinting solutions. Specifically, it is working to advance low-Earth-orbit bioprinting with Vast and Starlab who are both developing the next generation of space stations. (The ISS is slated for retirement in 2030.) Auxilium is also looking farther afield with the development of biomanufacturing technology suitable for deep-space exploration missions and lunar missions.
