BIORES INX, a new gelatin-based DLP bioprinting resin

BIO INX, a Belgian developer of bioprinting materials and bioinks, has expanded its portfolio with the launch of BIORES INX, a gelatin-based resin for DLP bioprinting platforms. The material has been engineered for improved printability on DLP bioprinting systems and biocompatibility.

The new bioprinting resin is based on GelMA (gelatin methacrylamide), a common biomaterial that has many applications in tissue engineering and drug delivery thanks to its similar functions and properties to human collagen. In bioprinting specifically, gelatin can mimic the natural extracellular matrix (ECM), which is vital to the support and growth of cells. BIORES INX, therefore, is suitable for creating three-dimensional structures that can support live cells in vitro.

Notably, BIORES INX is designed to be used with DLP bioprinting platforms, which can have advantages over extrusion-based bioprinting systems in terms of achievable resolutions and throughput. As Dr. Aysu Arslan, Chief Scientific Officer at BIO INX, said: “We believe that light-based bioprinting is the future of bioprinting thanks to elevated levels of reproducibility, higher resolution and faster printing speeds. The combination of light-based printing technologies with the extreme biocompatibility of gelatin is ideal for biofabrication applications.”

BIO INX develops bioprinting materials for a range of technologies, including deposition bioprinting, multi-photon lithography, volumetric 3D printing and DLP and SLA. In addition to BIORES INX in the DLP/SLA range, the company also sells a polyester-based synthetic resin, DEGRES INX X100. The launch of BIORES INX follows on BIO INX’s recent focus on gelatin-based biomaterials, however adapting the material for DLP did pose some challenges related to the state of gelatin at room temperature.

After introducing our HYDROBIO INX portfolio for high-resolution printing and READYGEL INX for volumetric printing, developing a gelatin-based DLP resin was the logical next step,” Dr. Arslan explained. “However, unlike volumetric and MPL printing, where gelatin’s gelation behavior at room temperature is advantageous, it posed a challenge for DLP printing—one we are thrilled to have overcome with this latest innovation.”

Specifically, BIORES INX has been engineered to maintain a liquid state at room temperature, which eliminates the requirement for any heated vats or containers and thus prevents water evaporation during the printing process. With the capability to print GelMA-based resins on DLP bioprinting platforms as well as other bioprinting processes, researchers can more easily transition between technologies, for greater development efficiency and, ultimately, scalability.

BIO INX is presenting the new bio resin at the Materials Research Society (MRS) Fall Meeting & Exhibit in Boston this week. In terms of distribution, the company will be selling BIORES INX through its BIO INX sales channel, which recently includes life science equipment supplier Carl Roth. The material, which is retailing for €285 for 10 ml and meets ISO 10993-5 standards for biocompatibility, will be delivered as a sterile ready-to-use kit.